Oil prices fell on Tuesday as higher Middle East exports eased supply concerns.
Brent dropped 1.86% to $103.32 a barrel, while WTI fell 2.11% to $90.65. Middle East crude exports rose to 12.8 million barrels per day in September, their highest level since February, supported by increased shipments from Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
US Job Openings Fall, Layoffs Remain Low
US job openings fell by 256,000 to 7.079 million in August, while layoffs dropped to 1.641 million, signalling a stable but cautious labour market.
Hiring rose to 5.192 million, as employers remained reluctant to expand amid economic uncertainty.
The data comes ahead of Friday’s September jobs report.
Canada Economy Flat in July as Growth Slows
Canada’s economy recorded no growth in July, matching expectations and signalling a weaker start to the third quarter.
Manufacturing fell 0.9%, while mining and oil activity declined 0.5%. Construction and utilities rose, offsetting some of the weakness. An early estimate showed 0.2% growth in August.
South Africa FDI Inflows Surge to R49.8bn
South Africa’s foreign direct investment inflows rose to R49.8 billion ($3.03 billion) in Q2 2026 from R20.3 billion in Q1, driven by debt funding to a local telecoms firm from its foreign parent.
Portfolio investment, however, recorded a R9 billion outflow, as foreign investors sold R34.2 billion in equities and bought R25.1 billion in local debt.
Nigeria’s State Oil Giant Reports 33% Profit Growth To N7.2tn
Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited’s profit after tax rose 33% to N7.2 trillion in 2025, despite a 24% drop in revenue to N34.5 trillion.
EBITDA climbed 22% to N18 trillion, while operating cash flow rose 16% to N12.8 trillion. The company declared a N5.8 trillion dividend, up 35%.
Oil and gas production also increased, with crude and condensate output averaging 1.77 million barrels per day.
