Oil prices fell more than 1% on Monday as fears of a Middle East conflict eased after the U.S. and Iran pledged to continue indirect talks about Tehran’s nuclear programme, calming worries about potential supply disruptions. Brent crude futures fell 84 cents, or 1.2%, to $67.21 a barrel by 0747 GMT on Monday, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude dropped 82 cents, or 1.3%, to $62.73………REUTERS.COM
An artificial intelligence-driven shakeout in the heavyweight technology sector is set to keep stock investors on edge in the coming week while a barrage of data could shift focus to the health of the economy. A deepening rout among software stocks commanded Wall Street’s attention this week, as investors worried about the extent to which AI would upend business models throughout the industry. Further weakness in the tech sector, which holds massive weight in the major U.S. equity indexes, dragged on the market for much of the week………..REUTERS.COM
Nigeria’s fixed-income market strengthened on February 5, 2026, as Treasury bills and Federal Government bond yields declined across key maturities, lifting the total size of the FMDQ debt market to N99.30 trillion. Data from the FMDQ Securities Exchange showed that improved system liquidity and reduced reliance on aggressive short-term issuance supported yield compression, pointing to softer borrowing costs despite the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) tight monetary policy stance………….NAIRAMETRICS.COM
Below is the summary of our recommendations for the week. For detailed review, kindly click the link to see our recommendations for 09022026.
Oil prices fell nearly 5% on Monday and were heading for the steepest single-session decline in more than 6 months, after U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran was “seriously talking” with Washington, signalling de-escalation with an OPEC member. Brent crude futures were down $3.38, or 4.9%, at $65.94 per barrel at 0528 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude fell $3.33, or 5.1%, to $61.88 per barrel…………..REUTERS.COM
The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady on Wednesday amid what U.S. central bank chief Jerome Powell described as a solid economy and diminished risks to both inflation and employment, an outlook that could signal a lengthy wait before any further reductions in borrowing costs. “The economy has once again surprised us with its strength,” Powell said at a press conference after Fed policymakers voted 10-2 to hold the central bank’s benchmark interest rate in the 3.50%-3.75% range following a two-day meeting…………..REUTERS.COM
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has upgraded the licences of selected FinTechs and Microfinance Banks (MFBs) with nationwide operations to national status. The disclosure was made by Mr. Yemi Solaja, Director of the Other Financial Institutions Supervision Department (OFISD) at the CBN, during the just concluded annual conference of the Committee of Heads of Banks’ Operations (CHBOs) in Lagos. This development is aimed at aligning licensing structures with the actual operational footprint of FinTechs and MFBs whose services now span across Nigeria, ensuring proper regulatory oversight………….NAIRAMETRICS.COM
Below is the summary of our recommendations for the week. For detailed review, kindly click the link to see our recommendations for 02022026.