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Tariff uncertainties to keep gold prices in India between Rs 87-90K range in H1-2025: Report

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Representative Image © Provided by Asian News International (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 29 (ANI): US tariff uncertainties are likely to push gold prices to Rs 87,000- Rs 90,000 in the first half of the calendar year 2025 (January- June), according to a report by ICICI Bank Global Markets.

Currently, the gold prices are at around Rs 83,410 per 10 grams for 22-carat and Rs 90,990 per 10 grams for 24-carat, publicly available data showed.

The report added that the uncertainties arising due to the tariffs will ensure the investment-related demand for gold is in place.

Beginning on April 2, the Trump administration intends to implement reciprocal tariffs on trading partners as part of the “Fair and Reciprocal Plan”.

In India, the local gold prices rose by 4 per cent in the past month, reflecting the global market trend and an appreciation of 2 per cent in rupee terms against the US dollar.

“Going forward, local gold prices are expected to trade with an upside bias in the INR 87,000 per ten grams to Rs 90,000 per ten grams range in 1H2025 and moving to the Rs 94,000 per ten grams to the Rs 96,000 per ten grams range in 2H2025,” the report added.

The report anticipated that the gold prices in the global markets will be in the range of USD 3200 per ounce to USD 3400 per ounce level by December 2025.

Additionally, the US Federal Reserve‘s potential decision to lower interest rates in 2025 and 2026 could make gold more attractive, as lower US yields may support gold demand, the report added.

Central banks may also continue to diversify their reserves by holding more gold, which could keep prices steady for the long term, as per the report.

“Elevated levels of gold prices appear to be weighing on jewellery demand, which worked to pull gold imports to their lowest level in the past 11 months, at USD 2.3bn, reflecting a 14 per cent MoM decline and a 63 per cent YoY decline. Demand should pick up, responding to the festive related seasonal demand that tends to take place,” the report added.

However, gold fund flows into local ETFs still remain fairly robust, as the World Gold Council (WGC) has reported. Gold ETFs recorded inflows to the tune of Rs 19.8bn in February 2025 that were above the average net inflow of Rs 14.8bn recorded in the preceding nine months.

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NNPCL: We will conclude review of Port Harcourt Refinery by December – Ojulari

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The Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company, Bayo Ojulari, has said the state-owned oil firm is planning to conclude its review of the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries before the end of December 2025.

Ojuari disclosed this in an interview with Bloomberg published on Thursday, at the sideline of the a recent seminar for the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

He noted that NNPCL would make a decision on selling the refineries after it had concluded its review process.

According to him, some of the technologies brought in to revamp the refineries have not worked as expected due to the old nature of the plants.

“So our refineries, we have made quite a lot of investment in over the last several years and brought in a lot of technologies. We have been challenged that some of those technologies have not worked as expected so far. As you know, refining a very old refinery that has been abandoned for some time becomes a little bit complicated. So we are reviewing all our refineries strategies now. We hope before the end of the year we will conclude the review.

“The review will lead to us doing things differently.

When asked by Bloomberg whether selling the refineries is an option, Ojulari said, “What we are saying is that a sale is not out of the question; all the options are on the table. That decision will be based on the outcome of the review.

Ojulari’s comments come after NNPCL, on May 24, 2025, announced the shutdown of the Port Harcourt refinery for planned maintenance and sustainability assessment.

In November and December last year, the former GCEO of NNPCL, Mele Kyari, announced the successful rehabilitation and commencement of operations at the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries.

 

 

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NNPCL reduces fuel price

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The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, has reduced its premium motor spirit price.

Ekwutosblog correspondent gathered that the NNPCL retail outlets in Abuja on Saturday slashed their petrol pump price to N910 per litre from N945.

This was the case in NNPCL filling stations in Zone 6, Kubwa Expressway, Wuse Zone 4, and other parts of Abuja.

The new petrol price at the state-owned oil firm represents a N30 drop from its earlier N945 per litre price.

The development comes barely four days after Dangote Refinery reduced its petrol ex-depot price to N840 per litre from N880 following a drop in global crude oil prices.

Members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association also announced a reduction in the petrol price to between N930 and N940 per litre from N945 and N975 in Abuja and N890 per litre, down from N925 in Lagos State.

 

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Ecobank plans $250m capital raise via private placement

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Ecobank Transnational Incorporated

Ecobank Transnational Incorporated announced its plan to raise up to $250m in Additional Tier 1 capital through a private placement of contingent convertible notes.

In a statement filed on the Nigerian Exchange Limited recently, the capital raise was approved by shareholders at the company’s Extraordinary General Meeting held in Lomé, Togo. The private placement offer was launched on July 9 and will run for ten days.

“Following the approval of the shareholders at its Extraordinary General Meeting held on May 28, 2025, in Lomé, Togo, to raise up to $250m in Additional Tier 1 capital qualifying instruments via a private placement of contingent convertible notes, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated announces the launch of the AT1 effective July 9, 2025, for ten days. Renaissance Capital Africa has been appointed as the transaction adviser to ETI.”

The move is an initiative aimed at strengthening Ecobank’s capital adequacy, enhancing financial resilience, and supporting its long-term growth ambitions across its diversified pan-African banking platform.

Additionally, Ecobank’s Company Secretary, Madibinet Cisse, said, “This proposed capital raise represents a critical step in our efforts to fortify the bank’s financial foundation and support sustainable growth across Africa.”

The Ekwutosblog reported that Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, the parent company of the Ecobank Group, has raised an additional $125m through a Eurobond tap, bringing the total size of its 2029 notes to $525m.

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