Author: Julius Alagbe

Global equity markets were mixed as US-Iran tensions weighed on investor sentiment

Bitcoin, Ethereum, Binance Coin, and Ripple’s XRP climbed amid renewed buying interest in the cryptocurrency market

The naira exchange rate improved to N1378 per US dollar at the Nigeria Foreign Exchange Market

Nigerian stocks extended their rally on the local bourse, with investors gaining….

There is greater near-term fiscal policy uncertainty in the UK and pressure on spending …

XRP Rises as Ripple, Kansas Athletics Enter Sports Marketing Deal XRP climbed 2% to $1.10 on Thursday, closely tracking a modest uptick in the broader crypto market as Ripple entered a multi-year sports marketing partnership. Ripple has entered into a multi-year sports marketing partnership with the University of Kansas Jayhawks athletic teams. Under the agreement, the $XRP brand logo will appear prominently on Jayhawks team jerseys, making Ripple the latest cryptocurrency brand to enter the collegiate sports marketing space. The University of Kansas Jayhawks is one of the most recognisable brands in U.S. collegiate athletics, particularly with a large and loyal fanbase…

Oil Prices Ease as Tensions Shift Demand, Supply Curve Oil prices edged lower in early trading on Thursday after a sharp rally fueled by escalating US-Iran tensions, as investors took profits while continued concerns over potential supply disruptions kept prices supported. Brent crude traded at $77.81 per barrel, down about 0.3% from the previous close of $78.02. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) fell about 0.2% to $73.33 per barrel from $73.52 in the previous session. Brent surged 8.7% on Wednesday, briefly climbing as high as $80.59 per barrel after US President Donald Trump declared that negotiations with Iran had…

South African Rand Softens Versus Crosses as Brent Rises The South African rand softened against crosses on Thursday as investor demand for the US dollar increased amid renewed tensions in the Middle East. In its morning brief on Thursday, First National Bank (FNB) confirmed that the rand traded weaker as investors favoured the US dollar amid escalating tensions in the Middle East and growing concerns around global inflation. Fresh US strikes against Iranian targets, retaliatory action by Iran and renewed uncertainty surrounding shipping through the Strait of Hormuz supported safe-haven demand for the dollar. At the same time, rising oil…

Global Markets Tainted by Tensions, Wall Street, European Stocks Ease Global equity markets were weighed by renewed tensions between the US and Iran, dragging performance indicators lower amid key selling pressure across sectors. Escalating US-Iran military tensions set the dominant overnight tone after President Donald Trump said that the ceasefire with Iran may be over, driving Brent crude sharply higher and injecting fresh caution across global equity markets. In Wednesday’s session, the S&P 500 fell 0.28%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.09% as geopolitical risk weighed on sentiment, while the Nasdaq edged up 0.20% on resilient technology demand.…

Ethereum Price Rises to $1.754k Ahead of ETF Launch Ethereum (ETH) price increased 1.16% to $1,753.98 on Thursday, closely tracking a broader market gain of 1.38%. The move is primarily driven by anticipation building around the imminent launch of spot Ethereum ETFs, with a key target date of July 15. Final-stage ETF launch preparations, shifting market focus from regulatory debate to imminent fund inflows. Multiple reports confirm asset managers are submitting final registration statements and fee disclosures to the SEC, with a mid-July launch window—specifically July 15—now the market’s focal point. This operational shift from approval speculation to launch mechanics…