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Oil Drops Further After OPEC Delay With Asian Stocks Mixed

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Oil extended losses Thursday after OPEC announced the shock delay of a key policy meeting, suggesting fresh upheaval in the bloc, while equities were mixed after two US reports dented recent euphoria over the future of interest rates.

Both main crude contracts slipped on news that the much-anticipated gathering of the major producers — combining OPEC and 10 allies — would be put back by four days to November 30.

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Prices had dived almost five percent at one point Wednesday, before paring the losses.

Reports said the decision was made after Angola and Nigeria pushed back against lower targets that were urged by others, with Saudi Arabia said to have been preparing to extend a one-million-barrel-a-day output cut into the new year.

Riyadh and Russia unveiled massive cuts earlier this year in a bid to boost prices, which have come under pressure owing to stuttering economies in the United States, Europe and particularly China.

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Pierre Andurand, of Andurand Capital Management, said global supplies were healthier than expected, meaning the OPEC+ cartel would need to reduce output.

READ ALSO: OPEC Cuts Nigeria’s Oil Output By 20.7% To 1.38 mb/d

The Saudis will probably want the other countries to cut as well,” he told Bloomberg TV. “It’s going to be a negotiation.”

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Equity markets in Asia fluctuated, even after a fresh pre-Thanksgiving bounce on Wall Street.

Hong Kong bounced back from morning losses to edge higher in the afternoon, with developers in ascendance as it emerged China is preparing to offer the property sector more support, calling for banks to do more for the industry.

That came after Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday that authorities had drawn up a draft list of 50 firms that would be eligible for more monetary support.

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Among the winners, struggling Country Garden soared more than 23 percent after it was reported the company was on the list. Another troubled developer, Evergrande, was up more than three percent.

Elsewhere, Shanghai, Seoul, Wellington, Mumbai and Jakarta also rose but Sydney, Singapore, Taipei, Manila and Bangkok were in retreat.

READ ALSO: Naira Depreciates Against Dollar, Loses N81

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London, Frankfurt and Paris all rose at the open.

The tepid performance came after data showed a pick-up in inflation expectations among US consumers, who now see it at 4.5 percent over the next year, against 4.4 percent previously expected, according to the University of Michigan.

Separately, US jobless claims came in far lower than forecast, showing that the labour market continues to hold up.

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The Fed has repeatedly said it would make its rate decisions based on data, particularly inflation and jobs.

The readings gave a little jolt to the good mood on trading floors that has been swirling since below-par consumer price figures last week reinforced optimism the rate-hike cycle had ended and cuts could be on the way next year.

Markets can be capricious sometimes, and at the present junction, investors are looking for clues confirming the Fed is done with its current tightening cycle, thus evidence to the contrary can be unsettling,” said National Australia Bank’s Rodrigo Catril.

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READ ALSO: Again, OPEC Increases Nigeria’s Crude Oil Production Quota To 1.8mbpd

The latest US data “triggered a (disproportionate) market reaction, US jobless claims and inflation expectations data did not support the story US inflation is easing against a weakening US labour market”, he said.

Still, observers said the outlook was bright for equities.

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“We do expect the stock market rally to continue,” said Audrey Goh of Standard Chartered Bank.

“If you look at inflation, that clearly has moderated, so that will allow the Fed to stand pat. Our expectation is that policy rates have peaked.”

Key figures around 0810 GMT
Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 1.0 percent at 17,910.84 (close)

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Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.6 percent at 3,061.86 (close)

London – FTSE 100: UP 0.2 percent at 7,480.41

Tokyo – Nikkei 225: Closed for a holiday

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West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.6 percent at $76.63 per barrel

Brent North Sea crude: DOWN 0.7 percent at $81.36 per barrel

Dollar/yen: DOWN at 149.10 yen from 149.59 yen on Wednesday

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Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0914 from $1.0890

Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2516 from $1.2494

Euro/pound: UP at 87.20 pence from 87.13 pence

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New York – DOW: UP 0.5 percent at 35,273.03 (close)

AFP

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FG Offers Up To 16.54% Yield On September Savings Bonds

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The Federal Government, through the Debt Management Office, is offering investors annual yields of up to 16.541% on its September 2025 Federal Government of Nigeria Savings Bonds.

The DMO, in a circular on its website on Monday, announced that the subscription window opens immediately and will close on Friday, September 5, 2025, with settlement scheduled for September 10, 2025.

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Coupon payments will be made quarterly on March 10, June 10, September 10, and December 10 and will be paid directly to investors.

The DMO offered investors two subscription categories of the Federal Government Savings Bond.

READ ALSO:DMO Unveils July FGN Savings Bond As CBN Offers N250bn In Treasury Bills

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The first is a two-year bond, which will mature on September 10, 2027, and attracts an annual interest rate of 15.541 per cent.

The second is a three-year bond, set to mature on September 10, 2028, with a higher annual interest rate of 16.541 per cent.

The two-year bond interest rate rose to 15.541% in September 2025, up from 14.401% in August.

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Similarly, the three-year bond recorded an increase to 16.541% in September, compared to 15.401% in the previous month.

The FGN Savings Bond programme, launched in 2017, aims to deepen the domestic bond market, promote financial inclusion, and give retail investors access to secure, low-risk government securities.

READ ALSO:Family Kicks As UK Varsity Sacks Nigerian Grandmother

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Each bond unit is priced at ₦1,000, with a minimum subscription of ₦5,000 and additional subscriptions in multiples of ₦1,000. Individual investors can subscribe up to ₦50 million.

On the status of FGN Savings Bonds, DMO noted it “qualifies as securities in which trustees can invest under the Trustee Investment Act; Qualifies as Government securities within the meaning of Company Income Tax Act (“CITA”) and Personal Income Tax Act (“PITA”) for Tax Exemption for Pension Funds, amongst other investors.

“Listed on The Nigerian Exchange Limited (and); qualifies as a liquid asset for liquidity ratio calculation for banks.”

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The office said the bond is “backed by the full faith and credit of the Federal Government of Nigeria and charged upon the general assets of Nigeria.”

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NNPCL Reduces Fuel Price After Dangote Refinery’s Adjustment

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The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has reduced its premium motor spirit pump price on Thursday, according to DAILY POST.

It was confirmed that NNPCL retail outlets in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, have reduced their pump price to N890 per litre from N945.

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This new fuel price has been reflected in NNPCL retail outlets such as mega station Danziyal Plaza, Central Area, Wuse Zone 4, Wuse Zone 6, and other of its filling stations in the nation’s capital.

READ ALSO:N5bn Damage: NNPCL Secures Appeal Court Victory Against Ararume

The latest downward review of fuel price in NNPCL outlets represents an N55 reduction in fuel pump price.

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It was reduced to N890 per litre this afternoon, down from N945,” an NNPCL fuel attendant told DAILY POST anonymously on Thursday.

This comes a Nigerian filling station, MRS Empire Energy, on Thursday adjusted their fuel pump price to N885 and N946 per litre, down from N910 and N955 per litre.

The latest fuel price reduction trend is unconnected to Dangote Refinery’s ex-depot petrol price adjustment by N30 to N820 per litre from N850 and the price of crude oil in the international market.

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Dangote Refinery Reduces Fuel Price

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Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced a reduction in the ex-depot (gantry) price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, commonly known as petrol, by N30, from N850 to N820 per litre, effective from August 12, 2025.

This was disclosed in a statement by the company’s spokesman, Anthony Chijiena, on Tuesday.

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The 650,000-barrel-per-day plant said the move is part of its unwavering commitment to national development, assuring the public of a consistent and uninterrupted supply of petroleum products.

READ ALSO:Dangote Refinery Gets New CEO

In line with our dedication to operational excellence and sustainable energy solutions, Dangote Petroleum Refinery will commence the phased deployment of 4,000 CNG-powered trucks for fuel distribution across Nigeria, effective August 15, 2025,” said Chijiena.

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The announcement comes as the refinery prepares to commence direct fuel distribution nationwide. The development is expected to lead petroleum product marketers to reduce their pump prices in the coming days.

In Abuja, the retail fuel price stood between N885 and N970 per litre as of Tuesday evening.

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