Author: Julius Alagbe

Investors Optimistic Ahead of Apple Inc. Q3 Earnings Investors are betting heavily on Apple Inc. ahead of the third quarter of 2026 earnings (Q3) release, with expectations of a spike in revenue and high margins. Apple Inc delivered a solid print for 2Q26, with strong double-digit growth in both the top and bottom line, which exceeded market expectations. Net sales increased 16.6% y/y to $111.2 billion, supported by symmetrical growth in both products (+16.7%) and services (+16.3%). Revenue generation was bolstered by solid traction across all products, inelastic demand for the iPhone 17 family and strategic entry into new…

PayPal Sets for Q2 Earnings Release The financial technology company PayPal will report Q2 earning results amid an ongoing strategic reset under CEO, Enrique Lores, with 1Q26 performance supported by stronger total payment volume (TPV) and transaction margins, though branded checkout growth remained modest at ~2%. Key notables heading into 2Q26 centres on whether branded checkout can stabilise further and what the new management team signals on its $1.5 billion cost-reduction and reinvestment plan. Management guided for a low-single-digit y/y decline in transaction margin dollars (TM$) for 2Q26 but reiterated full-year FY26 guidance for roughly flat adjusted EPS, with non-transaction…

The Nigerian fixed-income market closed positive on Thursday as strong local demand for government borrowing

FG Targets Transparent Tax System Through Digital Reforms The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to achieving a transparent, fair and technology-driven tax system, especially with digital reforms to improve tax administration and rebuild public confidence. The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, stated this on Thursday at a hybrid stakeholders’ engagement convened in Lagos by the Office of the Tax Ombud. The engagement has its theme as “Promoting Fairness, Transparency and Trust in Tax Administration in Nigeria”, bringing together government officials, professional bodies and private sector stakeholders to discuss measures for improving the…

Ripple (XRP) price is down 1.66% to $1.12, underperforming a slightly weaker broader market, primarily driven by a lack of immediate catalysts amid lingering regulatory uncertainty.

Nigerian Naira Firms Up Against USD, EUR, GBP – NFEM FX Turnover Dips The Nigerian naira is trading strongly on Thursday, with the FX rate opening the day at N1,369.6346 per US dollar, according to data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The local unit strengthened on improved macroeconomic indicators and robust economic projections as the market continues to adjust to key reforms implemented channels towards stability. Daily FX data from the CBN showed that the naira is quoted against the Euro (EUR) at N1562.4564 during the opening trading session, while the CBN spot rate for the British pound…

Software Stocks Drag Wall Street, FTSE 100, Euro Stoxx 50 Rally US equities fell into negative territory on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq both down 0.14% and 0.57%, respectively, as software companies came under pressure before Alphabet’s (-1.5%) results, with Microsoft down 1.9% and Meta retreating 2.6%. In its market brief, First National Bank (FNB) told investors that pressure came from rising oil prices, which ultimately fuelled inflation concerns. Across the pond in the Eurozone, the FTSE 100 surged 1.24% as investors assessed the softer-than-expected inflation print in the United Kingdom. The Euro Stoxx 50 climbed 0.50% as…

Casino companies have cracked the code on making money from boredom Behind all those flashing slot reels and blackjack tables, there’s a business model that’d make any subscription-software founder green with envy. Every industry has that one product nobody can quite figure out, how does it actually make money? When you peel back the curtain on online casinos, the picture looks a lot more like the kind of spreadsheet any growth-stage tech founder could spot a mile away. We’re talking recurring revenue, next-to-nothing marginal costs and ruthless focus on acquiring customers. That’s the engine. Globally, the online gambling market was…

XRP Investors Positive on ETF Momentum, Ripple Deals Ripple (XRP) is back in the spotlight as investors weigh growing institutional interest in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) against Ripple’s expanding role in cross-border payments, developments that analysts say could shape the cryptocurrency’s next major price move. XRP is hovering around $1.15 with about $1 billion in transaction value amidst tight price movement in the global cryptocurrency market. Although Bitcoin and Ethereum have dominated headlines in recent weeks, XRP continues to attract attention from both retail and institutional investors who believe regulatory clarity and broader adoption of Ripple’s payment infrastructure could strengthen the…

TotalEnergies Boosts Interim Dividends to €0.90, Extends Share Buyback TotalEnergies said it is prioritising deleveraging, with a gearing ratio down to 13%, and increasing the dividend, with a second-quarter dividend of €0.90/share, up 5.9%. The company said this following its earnings release, delivering $5.4 billion in net income in the second quarter of 2026, 6% lower than the Q1 record. The Board of Directors meeting on July 22, 2026, under the chairmanship of Mr Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, decided the distribution of a second interim dividend of €0.90/share for fiscal year 2026. The amount represents an increase…