Major International Business Headlines Brief ::: 30 June 2025

[Bulls n Bears]

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Major International Business Headlines Brief :::  30 June  2025 

 


 


 


 <mailto:info at bulls.co.zw> 

 


 

 


 

ü  Asia-Pacific markets trade mixed as investors parse a slew of data
releases

ü  Gold rebounds from over one-month low on weaker dollar

ü  NTT’s $812 Million REIT Float Set to Break Singapore IPO Drought

ü  How BP became a potential takeover target

ü  Nokia signs revolving credit facility with its pricing mechanism linked
to the company's sustainability targets

ü  Nike stock soars 17% after CEO soothes investors, says recovery is on the
horizon

ü  Hemi V-8 engines and mechanical bull rides: Inside Stellantis’ plan to
revive its Ram Trucks brand after yearslong sales declines

ü  Nike says tariffs will cost it $1 billion before price increases, supply
chain shifts

ü  Nedbank commits to more sustainable housing

ü  Ensuring reliability in remote infrastructure monitoring

ü  Russia says G20 under South Africa’s leadership can amplify Global South
priorities

 


 <mailto:info at bulls.co.zw> 

 


Asia-Pacific markets trade mixed as investors parse a slew of data releases

Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Monday as investors parsed details on
trade negotiations and a slew of data points, including South Korea and
Japan’s industrial output figures for May and China’s purchasing managers’
index readings for June.

 

China’s manufacturing activity contracted for the third consecutive month in
June, fueling hopes for more stimulus to cushion the impact of ongoing trade
disruptions between the superpower and the U.S.

 

Mainland China’s CSI 300 index added 0.39% in its final hour of trade, while
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was down 0.29%.

 

Japan’s Nikkei 225 climbed 0.84% to end the day at 40,487.39 after hitting
an over 11-month high earlier in the session, while the broader Topix index
advanced 0.43% to 2,852.84.

 

In South Korea, the Kospi index closed 0.52% higher at 3,071.70, while the
small-cap Kosdaq was flat at 781.50.

 

Over in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 increased by 0.33% to end the day at
8,542.30.

 

Meanwhile, India’s benchmark Nifty 50 lost 0.29% while the BSE Sensex
dropped 0.2%.

 

U.S. equity futures rose in Asia hours before the year stretches into the
second half.

 

All three key benchmarks on Wall Street rose sharply in last Friday’s
session. The broad-based S&P 500 hit a new record in more than four months
after ending the session about 0.5% higher at 6,173.07 — overtaking its
previous record of 6,147.43.

 

The Nasdaq Composite also reached an all-time high, closing at a record
after adding about 0.5%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose nearly
1%.

 

The three benchmarks have staged a sharp recovery this month from the lows
seen in April during the height of trade policy tensions. The whipsaw of
global trade negotiations can quickly sway market sentiment and pose an
ongoing threat to the strength of this rally.

 

 

Gold rebounds from over one-month low on weaker dollar

"There is less of a 'doom and gloom' outlook surrounding both tariff talks
and events in the Middle East, which is relegating gold to play second
fiddle to risk assets," KCM Trade Chief Market Analyst Tim Waterer said.

Advertisement · Scroll to continue

 

 

Asian shares firmed, with Wall Street futures advancing, while the U.S.
dollar index (.DXY), opens new tab fell 0.3%. A weaker dollar makes
greenback-priced bullion less expensive.

 

The U.S. and China have resolved issues surrounding shipments of rare earth
minerals and magnets to the U.S., Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on
Friday, adding that the Trump administration's various trade deals with
other countries could be done by the September 1 Labor Day holiday.

Canada scrapped its digital services tax targeting U.S. technology firms
late on Sunday, just hours before it was due to take effect, in a bid to
advance stalled trade negotiations with the United States.

 

The Iran-Israel ceasefire after a 12-day conflict also appeared to be
holding, further reducing safe-haven demand.

"The dollar remains pressured, which is limiting the extent of the slide for
gold. However, the $3,250 level shapes as a key support level for gold. Any
breach of this level could see losses accelerate towards the $3,200 level,"
Waterer said.

Stable geopolitical and economic conditions often reduce demand for gold as
a safe-haven asset, while the non-yielding asset's appeal further wanes in a
high-interest-rate environment.

 

Spot silver rose 0.5% to $36.16 per ounce, platinum firmed 2% to $1,366.63,
while palladium was up 1.6% at $1,151.36.

 

 

 

 

NTT’s $812 Million REIT Float Set to Break Singapore IPO Drought

Japan’s NTT Ltd. is seeking to raise as much as $812 million in a Singapore
listing of its data center real estate investment trust, in what is poised
to be the city-state’s biggest IPO in eight years.

 

NTT DC REIT is aiming for a market capitalization of more than $1 billion,
through selling units at $1 each, according to terms of the deal seen by
Bloomberg News. If an over-allotment option is exercised, the listing could
raise as much as $864 million.

 

 

 

How BP became a potential takeover target

For weeks, market tongues have been wagging about a potential merger between
Britain’s oil giants — until, ending weeks of speculation, Shell on Thursday
denied reports that it’s in talks to acquire BP.

 

But how did we get to the point that BP, a U.K. oil exploration company that
was founded in 1909 under the name Anglo-Persian Oil Company, is now seen as
a possible takeover target for its long time rival?

 

The reset

Back in 2020, under the guidance of then newly appointed CEO Bernard Looney,
BP announced it would embark on a strategy to remake itself as a “a net-zero
company by 2050 or sooner,” while ramping up its investment in renewable
energy projects. The energy giant committed to “performing while
transforming” as it laid out this new strategy.

 

At the time, Looney acknowledged that the shift would be a challenge but
argued that it was “also a tremendous opportunity”.

 

Initial burst

Looney launched the strategy just as the Covid-19 pandemic was making its
way across the world, triggering a demand shock and cratering crude prices.
The energy giant posted its first full-year loss in a decade, but the
company proceeded with its revamp, posting an annual profit in 2021 of $7.6
billion — before more than tripling to $27.65 billion in 2022, as Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine sent oil prices surging.

 

 

Looney lauded the results, telling CNBC the firm was now leaning into its
strategy.

 

“We’re announcing up to $8 billion more investment into the energy
transition this decade and up to $8 billion more into oil and gas in support
of energy security and energy affordability this decade,” he said.

 

This increased investment into the company’s energy transition was
reinforced by forecasts, published in the 2023 edition of BP’s Energy
Outlook, that the share of fossil fuels in primary energy would fall from
around 80% in 2019 to as low as 20% in 2050.

 

Looney departs

BP was left reeling when Bernard Looney abruptly announced his resignation
in September 2023 after less than four years into the job, with the company
revealing he had not been “fully transparent in his previous disclosures”
about relationships in the workplace prior to becoming CEO.

 

Then Chief Financial Officer Murray Auchincloss stepped in as interim CEO
before being appointed on a permanent basis in January 2024.

 

But the man who had driven the vision of BP as a renewable energy giant was
now out of the building. 

 

Speculation mounts

Declining annual profits in both 2023 and 2024, along with Looney’s
departure and a continued underperformance in BP’s shares compared to its
peers, raised fresh questions about the oil major’s strategy and its future
as a standalone company. Aside from Shell, Chevron and Exxon Mobil have also
been touted as potential suitors for BP, while the Emirates’ Adnoc has
reportedly eyed some of its gas assets.

 

Activist investor Elliott reportedly built up a stake in the oil major in
February, just before Auchincloss revealed BP’s strategic reset that set out
to ramp up investment in oil and gas and reduce the focus on renewables.
Investors have yet to be impressed, with shares down 15% since that time.

 

Speaking to CNBC in April, Auchincloss brushed off concerns that the company
was becoming a takeover target, saying “we’re a strong, independent company.
His peer, Shell CEO Wael Sawan, meanwhile told CNBC in June that “we have a
very high bar” for M&A opportunities, but argued that the company continues
to favor buying back its own shares.

 

What’s next

Shell’s robust rejection of these reports appears to have, for now, thrown
cold water on a potential takeover bid for BP. Morningstar Senior Equity
Analyst Allen Good has questioned the merits of a Shell deal for BP at this
point, telling CNBC that “unless the valuation is super attractive” then it
would probably not be worth the headache for executives.

 

 

 

 

Nokia signs revolving credit facility with its pricing mechanism linked to
the company's sustainability targets

 

Nokia’s financing strategy maintains steadfast link with its sustainability
strategy with EUR 1.5 billion multicurrency revolving credit facility.

New facility builds on previous work in this area including
sustainability-linked guarantee facility and sustainable finance framework.

Pricing mechanism linked to reduction of Nokia’s Scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse
gas emissions.

 

26 June 2025

Espoo, Finland – Nokia announced today the recent signing of a EUR 1.5
billion five-year multicurrency revolving credit facility ("RCF") with two
one-year extension options, and continues with a sustainability pricing
mechanism linking the margin of the RCF to two key RCF sustainability
targets outlined below. The margin of the RCF will increase or decrease
depending on Nokia's progress towards reaching these targets. The new RCF
will replace the EUR 1,412 million RCF agreement dated 18 June 2019.

 

Nokia's key RCF sustainability targets include annual target observation
periods and dates, with RCF pricing adjustments impacting the following
year:

Reduction of absolute Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions (“GHG”)

Reduction of absolute Scope 3 GHG emissions.

 

Nokia’s financing strategy is linked to its sustainability strategy and
today’s announcement builds on previous sustainable finance activities.
These activities include linking the margin of Nokia’s revolving credit
facility to Nokia’s sustainability targets in 2019, Nokia’s first
sustainability-linked guarantee facility in 2022, as well as the launch of
Nokia’s sustainable finance framework in 2023.

 

Nokia is committed to reducing its Scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG emissions. Nokia has
a Net-Zero target of 2040 which is approved by the Science Based Targets
initiative (SBTi), ensuring that Nokia's greenhouse gas emissions targets
and paths towards those targets are independently validated.

 

Further information on the detailed operational approach Nokia has taken to
reducing GHG emissions can be found in the Net-Zero climate transition plan
detailing Nokia’s commitments and targets as well as the actions being taken
to decarbonize in selected scopes. In March 2025, Nokia published its 2024
Annual Sustainability Statement, prepared for the first time in accordance
with the provisions of the newly applicable EU Corporate Sustainability
Reporting Directive and with the requirements of the European Sustainability
Reporting Standards.

 

“We're delighted with the strong support and commitment from our key banking
partners in this refinancing transaction that connects our financing
strategy with our sustainability priorities,” said Marco Wirén, Chief
Financial Officer, Nokia.

 

“Nokia’s sustainability approach is centered on protecting and creating
value for our company, and our stakeholders. We are committed to our climate
transition plan, which is built to deliver efficiency and innovations in our
value chain. Continuing to link the pricing of the revolving credit facility
to our science-based climate goals is a strong step forward demonstrating
our commitment to our sustainability targets,” said Subho Mukherjee, Vice
President of Sustainability, Nokia.

 

 

 

Nike stock soars 17% after CEO soothes investors, says recovery is on the
horizon

Nike confirmed that the largest financial impact from its turnaround plan is
now in the past, boosting investor confidence that the company’s results
will soon stabilize.

A number of Wall Street banks, including HSBC, issued bullish commentary on
the stock the morning after it released fiscal fourth-quarter results, with
some saying key strategies are showing signs of progress.

While Nike’s turnaround is showing signs of life, the company couldn’t say
when it will return to growth.

 

 

A shopper eats and walks past a 'Just Do It' ad slogan that features British
Olympic middle-distance athlete Keely Hodgkinson on Regent Street, on 5th
February 2025, in London, England. (Photo by Richard Baker / In Pictures via
Getty Images)

Nike’s “Just Do It” ad slogan on Feb. 5, 2025, in London, England.

Richard Baker | In Pictures | Getty Images

Nike

stock soared 17% on Friday after the company said the worst of its struggles
are behind it, following a better-than-feared fiscal fourth-quarter earnings
report. 

 

Nike on Thursday reiterated it would take the biggest financial hit from its
turnaround plan during the quarter, soothing investors who worried President
Donald Trump’s tariff hikes on key Nike manufacturing hubs like China and
Vietnam would derail the company’s comeback.

 

Nike posted a poor fourth quarter, as sales dropped 12%, net income plunged
86% and profit margins dwindled. But CEO Elliott Hill stressed the company
has emerged from the worst of its slump, and the slide in sales and profits
would begin to moderate in the quarters ahead. 

 

“The results we’re reporting today in Q4 and in FY25 are not up to the Nike
standard, but as we said 90 days ago, the work we’re doing to reposition the
business through our ‘Win Now’ actions is having an impact,” said Hill on an
earnings call, referencing the name of the company’s turnaround plan. “From
here, we expect our business results to improve. It’s time to turn the
page.” 

 

With few details about the progress of Nike’s turnaround strategies in the
company’s earnings release, the company’s shares initially fell when it
posted results after the closing bell Thursday. By the end of an hourlong
call with Nike executives and Wall Street analysts, the stock had surged
more than 10% in extended trading.

 

Beyond assuring investors that the turnaround plan is working, Hill shared
promising updates on new product launches and Nike’s efforts to win back
wholesale partners, which have been key areas of focus since he took over in
October. 

 

Hill shared details behind Nike’s decision to begin selling on Amazon

for the first time since 2019 and its push to win over female shoppers,
another priority for the company. 

 

During the quarter, the company launched products in more than 200 women’s
led shops, including Aritzia, and released its collection with WNBA star
A’ja Wilson, which Hill said sold out in three minutes. 

 

By Friday morning, the stock climbed even higher after numerous banks issued
bullish commentary on the company. HSBC

upgraded Nike to buy from hold, its first buy rating on the stock in 3½
years. 

 

HSBC also raised its price target to $80, implying 28% upside from
Thursday’s close. 

 

“Long in the making but we think the inflection is finally here,” analyst
Erwan Rambourg wrote in a research note. “We think there is more than
tangible evidence that Nike has a path to see its sales rebound in the
not-too-distant future, and its margins to be repaired, and this despite an
unfavorable tariff headwind.” 

 

Nike’s results show the company is rebounding on a timeline Wall Street
likes. But don’t call it a comeback just yet. 

 

The sneaker giant is trying to grow again at a shaky time for the economy,
as weaker consumer sentiment, rising debt, tariffs and mass deportations
raise questions about spending and GDP.

 

Nike still expects sales to decline in its current quarter by a
mid-single-digit percentage, in line with Wall Street expectations of a 7%
drop, according to LSEG.

 

It also has more work to do to clear out stale lifestyle inventory from its
classic Dunks and Jordan lines. Those efforts to liquidate old inventory
have hit profit margins and sales because Nike has had to rely on deep
discounts, clearance channels and the off-price sector to clear out that
glut. 

 

In fiscal 2025, which ended last month, sales for classics like the Air
Force 1, Air Jordan 1 and Dunks declined more than 20% compared with the
year-ago period. In the fourth quarter, that accelerated to 30%, which
impacted sales by nearly $1 billion, finance chief Matt Friend said. 

 

Air Force 1 inventory levels have started to stabilize but Nike is still
working to clear out supply of its Dunk franchise, which will affect the
company’s profits through the first half of its current fiscal year, said
Friend.

 

Both Hill and Friend said Nike’s profits will be under pressure through the
first half of fiscal 2026 as it works through its inventory and contends
with higher costs from tariffs. They said they expect profits to improve in
the second half of the year. 

 

However, when it comes to actual sales growth, it’s still too early to tell
when the company will stop shrinking. 

 

When asked if there are any scenarios where the company could get back to
revenue growth this year, Hill declined to share a timeline. 

 

“Just because of everything that’s going on, we’re going to take it 90 days
at a time,” said Hill. “We believe full recovery will take time.”

 

Correction: This article has been updated to correct the spelling of
Aritzia.

 

 

 

Hemi V-8 engines and mechanical bull rides: Inside Stellantis’ plan to
revive its Ram Trucks brand after yearslong sales declines

Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis has a plan to turn around Stellantis’ truck brand that
includes bringing back Hemi V-8 engines, mechanical bulls and many other
untraditional marketing techniques.

Kuniskis said he’s “flying without a parachute,” since unretiring last year,
while going all in on a renaissance for Ram.

Ram’s sales have declined by 38% since a record year in 2019, including a
41% downfall in highly important full-size pickup trucks.

 

 

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis reemerged from a seven-month
retirement late last year saying he “missed the fight” and admitting the
Stellantis

brand was getting smashed in the marketplace by its competition.

 

Kuniskis walked on stage during a media event as the speakers blared Detroit
rapper Eminem singing “Guess who’s back, back again.” He promised an
aggressive turnaround for the embattled truck brand that is now getting
underway and will extend through 2026.

 

The plan includes more than 25 announcements through next year. Thus far
they have included a return to NASCAR with mechanical bull rides and a new
race truck, the resurrection of Hemi V-8 engines with a new “Symbol of
Protest,” and, most recently, a new industry-leading powertrain warranty for
its Ram products.

 

Since returning after a CEO shake-up, Kuniskis is invigorated. He’s “flying
without a parachute,” as he recently described it, while playing with
borrowed time and house money since his unretirement. He’s going all in to
launch a renaissance of Ram, which has experienced a 38% sales decline since
its record year back in 2019.

 

“I have perfect clarity of my return because, after I left and had a chance
to rest, I realized I didn’t need to leave, I just needed a break. Then I
was itching to come back,” Kuniskis told CNBC during a recent interview in
his relatively undecorated office. (He gave many of his career keepsakes
away when he retired.) “We have a window of opportunity here to fix a lot of
stuff, and some people are stressed out by that opportunity, and some people
are fueled by it. Luckily, our team is fueled by it.”

 

Kuniskis, who was leading Ram and Dodge upon his retirement mid-last year,
said an array of issues led to the brand’s current situation, including the
automaker’s pricing, model launch cadence and, most importantly, problems
with a redesign of its Ram 1500. That redesign led to production issues that
are still being worked out more than a year after the vehicle’s launch.

 

“We tried to do too many things at once,” Kuniskis said of the Ram 1500. “We
literally changed everything instead of doing a cadence of the changes.”

 

Kuniskis didn’t touch on the larger issues Stellantis was dealing with under
former Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares, who left the automaker in December.
Kuniskis was recruited back to Ram amid the change in leadership.

 

 

 

 

Nike says tariffs will cost it $1 billion before price increases, supply
chain shifts

The company expects tariffs will cost it $1 billion in the current fiscal
year before price increases and supply chain shifts.

The sneaker giant said it took its biggest financial hit yet from its
turnaround plan during the period, but expects sales and profit declines to
moderate moving forward.

 

 

A shopper walks past a Nike store in the King of Prussia Mall in King of
Prussia, Pennsylvania, on April 3, 2025.

 

on Thursday said it expects sales and profit declines to moderate ahead,
after the sneaker giant took its biggest financial hit yet from its
turnaround plan during its fiscal fourth quarter.

 

While the worst could be behind the company, it has new challenges such as
tariffs to face, making a tough turnaround that much more difficult. On a
call with analysts, finance chief Matt Friend called the duties a “new and
meaningful” cost. 

 

“With the new tariff rates in place today, we estimate a gross incremental
cost increase to Nike of approximately $1 billion” in its current fiscal
year 2026, Friend said. 

 

He added that the company intends to “fully mitigate” that cost over time as
it tweaks its supply chain, works with its factory and retail partners and
implements price increases. 

 

Currently, about 16% of its supply chain is in China and it expects to
reduce that to the high single-digit percentage range by the end of its
current fiscal year, which is expected to end next summer. 

 

“Despite the current elevated tariffs for Chinese products imported into the
United States, manufacturing capacity and capability in China remains
important to our global source base,” said Friend. 

 

Friend said the company will consider cost cuts, but its highest priority
remains stabilizing its business, which requires investment. 

 

Once those efforts are implemented, Friend said the financial impact to
fiscal 2026 gross margins is expected to be 0.75 percentage points, with a
greater impact expected in the first half.

 

While Wall Street’s expectations were low coming into the report, Nike beat
estimates on the top and bottom lines.

 

Here’s how the company did for the three-month period that ended May 31,
compared with estimates from analysts polled by LSEG:

 

Earnings per share: 14 cents per share vs. 13 cents expected

Revenue: $11.10 billion vs. $10.72 billion expected

The company’s reported net income for the quarter was $211 million, or 14
cents per share, compared with $1.5 billion, or 99 cents per share, a year
earlier. 

 

Sales dropped to $11.10 billion, down about 12% from $12.61 billion a year
earlier.  

 

Last quarter, Nike warned that its fiscal fourth quarter would be the low
point of its turnaround, but in the months since, conditions worsened,
leaving investors wondering if more pain was still to come.

 

In a press release, Friend confirmed that the fiscal fourth quarter will see
the “largest financial impact” from its turnaround and headwinds are
expected to moderate moving forward. 

 

On a call with analysts, CEO Elliott Hill said it is time to “turn the
page.”

 

“The results we’re reporting today in Q4 and in FY25 are not up to the Nike
standard, but as we said 90 days ago, the work we’re doing to reposition the
business through our ‘Win Now’ actions is having an impact,” said Hill.
“From here, we expect our business results to improve.”

 

For the current quarter, Nike expects sales to decline by a mid-single-digit
percentage, in line with expectations of down 7%, according to LSEG. It
expects its gross margin to be down between 3.5 and 4.25 percentage points,
including 1 percentage point from the tariff rates currently in place today.

 

Nike shares initially dropped after its report was released but moved about
10% higher during the company’s conference call.

 

During the quarter, Nike’s profits fell a staggering 86% as it worked to
clear out stale inventory, woo back wholesale partners and reset its digital
business. The largest hit to margins came from Nike’s use of discounts and
clearance channels to offload inventory, coupled with its shift back to
wholesale, which is a less profitable channel than selling directly on its
website and stores.

 

The company has warned the strategy would lead to lower near-term profits,
but would leave the business in a healthier position in the long term. 

 

During the quarter, Nike Direct revenue, representing stores, wholesale and
its website, fell 14%, led by a 26% drop in digital sales and a 9% decline
in wholesale. 

 

Nike stores, however, were a bright spot. During the quarter, sales at Nike
stores rose 2%. 

 

Foot traffic data at Nike stores has been declining since October, but those
figures also indicate that conditions could be improving, according to
Placer.ai, an analytics firm that uses anonymized data from mobile devices
to estimate overall visits to locations. 

 

Monthly visits to Nike stores dropped 10.2% in April compared to the
previous year, but that decline narrowed to 3.2% in May, according to
Placer.ai. 

 

Revenue fell in all regions during the quarter, but came in a bit better
than expected in North America, Nike’s largest market. Sales fell 11% to
$4.70 billion in North America, better than the $4.42 billion analysts had
expected, according to StreetAccount. 

 

Still, China revenue came in at $1.48 billion, just below the $1.50 billion
analysts had expected, according to StreetAccount. 

 

Hill told analysts that the sales recovery in China will take longer “due to
the unique characteristics of the marketplace.” It now has more competition
in the region and said it has more work to do to clean up inventory. It is
also testing new retail concepts with a local approach.

 

Since Hill took over as Nike’s CEO in October, a lot of his work has focused
on unwinding the strategy his predecessor John Donahoe implemented. He has
worked to win back wholesale partners after Donahoe pursued a direct selling
strategy, and he is also bringing Nike back to its sports focus.

 

Under Donahoe, Nike moved away from its sport segmentation and instead broke
up its business into women’s, men’s and kids. Some critics say that is part
of the reason Nike’s innovation pipeline fell apart because the business was
more focused on lifestyle products geared to a wide range of consumers,
instead of being directed at athletes. 

 

On a call with analysts, Hill said the company is realigning teams to focus
back on sports.

 

“Nike, Jordan and Converse teams will now come to work every day with a
mission to create the most innovative and coveted product, footwear, apparel
and accessories for the specific athletes they serve,” Hill said. 

 

On the wholesale front, Nike is moving into more retailers and highlighted
fresh efforts with brands such as Aritzia and Urban Outfitters. Hill also
discussed the decision to come back to Amazon and start selling on the
platform for the first time since 2019. Beginning this fall, Amazon will
begin carrying a “select assortment” of shoes, apparel and accessories and
Nike will have a featured brand store on the platform focused on running,
training, basketball and sportswear, Hill said. 

 

The decision to partner with brands such as Aritzia and come back to Amazon
highlights the scrappy approach Nike is taking to wholesale. It also
highlights the success Amazon has had in winning over big brands. In the
past, few brands were willing to sell on Amazon over concerns it could
dilute its image. These days, it is seen as an essential channel for many
businesses.

 

The company is still seeing declines in its performance category for Nike
products, but it said it saw strong sales for new launches in running and
training in North America. 

 

During the quarter, it released a new sneaker and collection for A’ja
Wilson, a star center with the Las Vegas Aces. 

 

The first drop sold out in three minutes and the company plans to double the
amount of pairs in the coming seasons, Hill said. 

 

During Nike’s conference call, its delayed partnership with Skims was not
discussed or asked about.

 

The first product launch with Kim Kardashian’s intimates line was supposed
to go live during the quarter, but that has been delayed to later this year,
CNBC previously reported. That partnership is a key strategy in Nike’s
efforts to win over more female shoppers, who are estimated to represent
about 40% of its business.

 

Nike has lost market share to athletic apparel competitors such as Lululemon
and Alo Yoga, which cater to a similar customer but are more geared toward
women. 

 

Sneakers are still the most important part of Nike’s business, but apparel
is a growth area for the company, representing about 28% of Nike brand
revenue in fiscal 2024.

 

 

 

 

AfDB supports Kigali's first urban cable car project

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a US$500,000 grant to fund
a feasibility study for Kigali’s proposed aerial urban transit system, set
to become sub-Saharan Africa’s first cable car network

 

The initiative is being spearheaded by Ropeways Transit Rwanda Ltd (RTRL).

 

The funding comes from the Bank’s Urban and Municipal Development Fund
(UMDF) and will support the development of the Kigali Urban Cable Car
Project. Valued at US$100mn, the 5.5 km transport solution is designed to
alleviate traffic congestion, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and improve
access to jobs and essential services for underserved communities.

 

Hosted by the African Development Bank, the UMDF provides technical
assistance and financial support to cities, helping them identify and
prepare investment-ready urban projects.

 

Phase 1 of the project will cover two main routes: from Nyabugogo Taxi Park
to the Central Business District, and from the Kigali Convention Center to
Kigali Sports City, passing key landmarks such as Amahoro Stadium, BK Arena
and Zaria Court.

 

The feasibility study aims to attract international investment, potentially
through platforms such as the Africa Investment Forum (AIF). UMDF has
previously supported Rwanda’s Kigali Urban Transport Improvement Project to
enhance investor confidence in the transport sector.

 

Construction is expected to begin in late 2026, with commissioning planned
for 2028. Once operational, the system could carry over 50,000 passengers
daily on a 15-minute end-to-end journey, fully integrated with Kigali’s
broader transport network.

 

African Development Bank Group president Dr. Akinwumi Adesina said, “This
transformative project aligns perfectly with the Bank’s vision for
sustainable, green climate-resilient urban mobility infrastructure, and with
the Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy, which focuses on urbanisation, and the
Alliance for Green Infrastructure in Africa (AGIA), a global partnership
initiative driven by the African Development Bank Group, Africa50 and the
African Union. By financing Rwanda’s urban cable car system, we are
investing in a scalable model of low-carbon, inclusive public transport that
cities across Africa can emulate.”

 

The project also supports Rwanda’s climate targets, as outlined in its Green
Taxonomy, E-mobility Strategy and Climate and Nature Finance Strategy,
aiming to cut emissions by 38% by 2030 and reach carbon neutrality by 2050.

 

The cable car project will be implemented under a Public-Private Partnership
(PPP), according to Imena Munyampenda, Director General of the Rwanda
Transport Development Agency.

 

The feasibility phase will draw insights from successful cable car systems
in cities like La Paz, Bolivia and Singapore, and will incorporate inclusive
design principles for disabled access and employment opportunities for
women, low-income groups, and youth.

 

Blended financing model

 

The project’s US$100mn financing will include grants, concessional loans,
blended capital, and technical assistance. The UMDF grant will specifically
support assessment of the viability gap. The Rwandan government will partner
with the African Development Bank Group and others including IFC, Africa50,
TDB, AFC, and private investors under the AGIA to structure blended and
commercial finance.

 

 

 

Nedbank commits to more sustainable housing

In a boost for South Africa’s construction sector, Nedbank Corporate and
Investment Banking (CIB) is to accelerate its funding for affordable homes
after securing a US$200mn loan from IFC, the World Bank’s private finance
arm

 

IFC will provide Nedbank CIB with a senior loan of US$200mn to further scale
lending to what it called ‘green buildings developers’ in South Africa’s
residential, commercial, industrial and retail property sectors.

 

The partnership will help bridge the country’s housing deficit and support
the transition to a lower-carbon economy, IFC noted in a statement.

 

Each building will be certified through IFC’s Excellence in Design for
Greener Efficiencies (EDGE) or equivalent standard for energy and water
efficiency and for the use of more sustainable construction materials.

 

At least half of all funds allocated to new residential developments will
target the affordable housing segment.

 

IFC was also an investor in Nedbank CIB’s green bond issue of 2021,
providing funding to support EDGE (or equivalent standard) certified
buildings in the country.

 

“Under the bond, Nedbank CIB was able to deliver 1,790 EDGE-certified units,
including 1,305 affordable homes,” said Vanessa Murray, divisional
executive, property finance at Nedbank CIB.

 

“The new facility allows us to scale this impact even further, expanding the
reach to other real estate segments and aligning with global green building
standards while addressing the country’s housing and infrastructure needs.”

 

Murray said another example of the bond’s impact is illustrated by the
creation of the bank’s in-house EDGE expert team, the only one of its kind
in an African financial institution.

 

With IFC support, it has trained 21 Nedbank CIB staff and 21 clients, which
enabled the certification of landmark projects such as the Mall of Africa,
the largest EDGE-certified retail centre in the world.

 

“We are proud to partner with Nedbank CIB to expand certified green
buildings in South Africa, including for affordable housing,” said Claudia
Conceiçao, IFC’s regional director for Southern Africa.

 

“This collaboration drives South Africa’s shift to a low-carbon economy
while improving lives and communities.”

 

South Africa aims to reduce its GHG emissions by 42% by 2025 and reach net
zero carbon emissions by 2050, with green buildings designated as a major
part of the solution to meet targets.

 

Globally, conventional buildings account for nearly 40% of energy-related
GHG emissions.

 

 

 

 

Ensuring reliability in remote infrastructure monitoring

Power grids, water systems, and various industrial operations often stretch
into isolated regions where regular in-person supervision is not viable. In
these cases, remote monitoring offers a practical solution — but only when
the equipment is specifically built to endure the surrounding conditions

 

Gary Bradshaw, director at remote monitoring specialist Omniflex, outlines
the technical demands of deploying such systems in harsh and inaccessible
locations, and illustrates their use through a project with a major South
African electricity utility.

 

Monitoring infrastructure in remote areas is fraught with challenges. These
environments are frequently subject to extreme weather conditions such as
high temperatures, humidity, dust, and electrical storms — all of which can
compromise the performance and durability of monitoring equipment.
Complicating matters further is the lack of readily available maintenance;
deploying technicians to these areas involves considerable time, effort, and
cost.

 

Another major hurdle is the absence of consistent power supply. With no
mains electricity, these monitoring systems are reliant on batteries or,
where feasible, solar power. Therefore, efficient energy usage is critical,
along with pre-emptive battery replacement to prevent system failure and
data loss.

 

Communication is also an obstacle. Remote locations often lack mobile
network coverage, and traditional wired connections are cost-prohibitive to
install. In such cases, radio and satellite communication are typically the
only viable alternatives.

 

These issues are compounded by concerns about the longevity of monitoring
systems. Many commercially available monitoring products are built with
planned obsolescence, requiring full system replacements every few years.
For hazardous and difficult-to-access sites, this poses both financial and
safety concerns.

 

“For installations in remote and dangerous locations, this is not practical
as sending engineers out to regularly replace equipment presents all the
same challenges as in-person monitoring and equipment maintenance in terms
of cost and risk. For these systems, remote monitoring equipment should
ideally maintain full serviceability and compatibility for decades to
minimise the need to dispatch engineers and technicians.”

 

Eskom’s remote monitoring evolution

 

In the early 1990s, South Africa’s electricity supplier Eskom faced
operational difficulties in overseeing its remote assets, particularly 11kV
and 22kV distribution lines that passed through isolated rural terrain.
Frequent storms brought lightning strikes and fallen branches, which often
triggered the auto-reclosers and sectionalisers, disrupting supply.

 

Restoring these services meant engineers had to navigate long distances —
often at night and in hazardous conditions — just to diagnose and manually
reset equipment. The problem was exacerbated by poor telecom infrastructure
in those regions, causing delays in reporting and response.

 

To address this, Eskom partnered with Omniflex to implement a remote
monitoring system capable of continuous, centralised supervision. The
solution involved deploying Maxiflex remote terminal units (RTUs), mounted
on power line poles and equipped to operate independently in the field.

 

“Maxiflex is a modular product that can be configured to suit a wide range
of applications and its hot-swappable I/O modules enable maintenance without
powering down the system, minimising any associated downtime.”

 

“The Maxiflex pole-mounted RTUs were mounted directly on power line poles
alongside switching devices and interfaced to a central control centre over
unlicensed radio bands for secure 24/7 monitoring. This solution allowed
operators to receive real-time fault alerts and enabled them to remotely
isolate line sections or reset devices without dispatching engineers.”

 

This was among the earliest deployments of Maxiflex and set the stage for
its adoption in various critical infrastructure environments. Since then,
the system has been employed in diverse applications globally — from nuclear
radiation monitoring in the UK to alarm management and event sequencing in
sectors such as oil and gas, petrochemicals, and utilities.

 

 

 

Russia says G20 under South Africa’s leadership can amplify Global South
priorities

The G20 meeting, taking place ahead of the main summit in Johannesburg,
comes at a time of heightened geopolitical and economic tensions. Lukash
said Russia viewed dialogue as essential for preserving multilateral
cooperation and preventing global fragmentation.

 

“Multilateralism is the only thing that can keep the world together today,
save the G20 from collapse, save the economy from complete fragmentation,
and ensure global growth,” she said.

 

She added that despite divisions among member states, the G20 remained
capable of reaching collective decisions.

 

“G20, which unites developed and developing countries, is still able to come
to common decisions,” Lukash said. “It is very well placed to keep
multilateralism as a flag for all humanity.”

 

South Africa took over the G20 presidency with plans to prioritize the
interests of emerging markets and developing economies. Lukash noted that in
recent years, consecutive presidencies by countries in the Global South have
helped shift the group’s focus away from the perspectives of advanced
economies alone.

 

She also emphasized the importance of the United Nations as the main
platform for global decision-making, describing the G20 as a vessel
navigating challenging international dynamics but ultimately docking at the
UN for the most critical resolutions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 


 


 Invest Wisely!

Bulls n Bears 

 

Cellphone:         +263 71 944 1674 | +27 79 993 5557 

Email:                <mailto:bulls at bullszimbabwe.com>
bulls at bullszimbabwe.com

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www.facebook.com/BullsBearsZimbabwe



 

 

 


 

INVESTORS DIARY 2025

 


Company

Event

Venue

Date & Time

 


 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 


Companies under Cautionary

 

 

 


 

 

 

 


CBZH

GetBucks

EcoCash

 


Padenga

Econet

RTG

 


Fidelity

TSL

FMHL

 


 

 

 

 


 <mailto:info at bulls.co.zw> 

 


 

 


DISCLAIMER: This report has been prepared by Bulls ‘n Bears, a division of
Faith Capital (Pvt) Ltd for general information purposes only and does not
constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or
subscribe for any securities. The information contained in this report has
been compiled from s believed to be reliable, but no representation or
warranty is made or guarantee given as to its accuracy or completeness. All
opinions expressed and recommendations made are subject to change without
notice. Securities or financial instruments mentioned herein may not be
suitable for all investors. Securities of emerging and mid-size growth
companies typically involve a higher degree of risk and more volatility than
the securities of more established companies. Neither Faith Capital nor any
other member of Bulls ‘n Bears nor any other person, accepts any liability
whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from any use of this report or its
contents or otherwise arising in connection therewith. Recipients of this
report shall be solely responsible for making their own independent
investigation into the business, financial condition and future prospects of
any companies referred to in this report. Other  Indices quoted herein are
for guideline purposes only and d from third parties.

 


 

 


 (c) 2025 Web:  <http://www.bullszimbabwe.com> www.bullszimbabwe.com Email:
<mailto:bulls at bullszimbabwe.com> bulls at bullszimbabwe.com Tel: +27 79 993
5557 | +263 71 944 1674

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

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