Author: Jordan

Amsterdam, June 4, 2026 SBM Offshore announces that it has entered into a shareholders’ agreement with its long-standing business partner Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) with the intention to divest a 45% ownership interest in the special purpose companies related to the lease and operation of the FSO Chalchi. SBM Offshore will remain the majority shareholder with 55% ownership interest. The divestment remains subject to several conditions precedent and approvals. FSO Chalchi is currently under construction and will be operated under 20-year lease and operate contracts with Woodside Energy through its affiliate in Mexico, Woodside Petróleo Operaciones de México, S.…

Accord Mortgages is cutting rates across its residential and buy-to-let ranges. The intermediary-only lender said changes to its residential range would take effect from 8am on Monday June 8, 2026, with reductions of up to 0.46% across a wide range of loan-to-value and product terms. Accord has also added new products for remortgage borrowers with larger deposits up to 65% LTV, with rates starting from 4.67%. For landlord clients, changes take effect from 8am on Friday June 5, 2026. Two-year fixed buy-to-let rates have been cut by up to 0.30%, while three-year fixed rates have been reduced by up to…

Supreme Court: In a set of two civil appeals against the decisions of the Madras High Court allowing the respondent’s appeal and quashing the Single Judge’s decision, and dismissing the present appellant’s appeal vide the second decision, the Division Bench of Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah, JJ. set aside both impugned orders and restored the Single Judge’s decision with a slight modification i.e., a reduction in the rate of interest which was claimed by and allowed to the appellant. The Court upheld the Single Judge’s decision, that, the respondent had, by way of the Agreement, created a mortgage by deposit…

A Sliver of EntertainmentMovie 2/5 Sharon Stone stars… err, sorry. Sharon Stone’s body stars in Sliver, a follow-up project to Basic Instinct for Stone, only Sliver carries none of the style or verve of that prior film. It’s not Stone’s fault – she’s fine, a woman surrounded by abusive, manipulative men inside an apartment building that’s soon to be condemned with the number of dead bodies it eventually holds. If Sliver does anything right, it’s depicting a woman trapped even in her own apartment, living with fear and anxiety that she cannot escape, caused by the men in her life.…

The travel credit card wars are heating up. To help stay competitive, American Express recently introduced two new benefits for Platinum cardholders.In April, American Express unveiled the Platinum Member Airfares program. This program expands on an existing benefit that gave eligible cardholders access to discounted airfares on select international premium flights booked through the American Express Travel Portal. Under the expanded program, cardholders now have access to discounts on select domestic and economy flights as well.The introduction of the expanded airfare program coincides with Amex launching Sidecar lounges, a new concept for American Express. For many American Express Platinum cardholders,…

Today’s the day. Nottingham Forest away. Manchester United’s run-in begins with at least 11 games left to play.Sorry. A little rhyme for you there. I’m excited. This is exciting, isn’t it? United are back after what feels like two years rather than two weeks.The finish line of another turgid season is in sight, so let’s look at three things that must happen if we are to enter the summer with even a sliver of satisfaction.Maintain “big game” momentumUnited have not been winning enough football matches at the start of Ruben Amorim’s reign. As the man himself often utters, “that is…

DUNCAN — A tax increment financing district near the intersection of Plato Road and U.S. Highway 81 in Duncan would benefit the community by bringing new businesses to town, said Nathan Ellis, an attorney with the Public Finance Law Group who is advising the city on the project.“The impetus of this is to try and enhance the sales tax base of the city,” he said. “Try and create new retail opportunities, things that don’t already exist in Duncan.”Ellis presented the city’s proposal for a TIF district Tuesday night to the Duncan City Council, which hosted the first of two public…

A local government in Perth’s south has clamped down tree removals by making it more difficult for residents to chop them down. has clamped down tree removals by making it more difficult for residents to chop them down.The City of Cockburn’s new tree planning policy, which came into effect on May 28, regulates when development approval is needed for any “tree damaging” activity on private property.The WA Planning Commission and the Planning Minister John Carey deleted a clause in the city’s town planning scheme that only protected trees on the significant tree register.The policy now also applies to trees that…

Equities Investors Lose N561bn as NGX Extends Bearish RunThe Nigerian equities market extended its bearish run on Thursday, with the All-Share Index declining 0.37% to settle at 242,227.31 points.  The local bourse shrank as sell pressure persisted for four days straight, in what some stockbrokers now call a price correction after a fast-and-furious rally.In a chat with MarketForces Africa, stockbrokers said many listed companies have been trading above their fair value, which calls for correction, after earnings season euphoria fizzled out.The Armageddon of sell-offs knocked out N1.81 trillion from the Nigerian Exchange market capitalisation on Monday, N478 billion on Tuesday,…

Recent developments in the Middle East have renewed uncertainty across financial markets, prompting questions about what this could mean for interest rates and mortgage pricing in the months ahead.Current market movements serve as a timely reminder that mortgage rates are shaped by a complex mix of factors — not just swap rates, but also economists’ expectations and global risk dynamics. Trump’s pursuit of a ‘deal’Israel agreed a fragile ceasefire with Lebanon, on the basis that Hezbollah (the Lebanese paramilitary group) stop their attacks. However, Hezbollah have refused these terms. Meanwhile, Donald Trump has reiterated that the US and Iran are “pretty close”…