Latest news with #Naji
Shafaq News
6 days ago
- Business
- Shafaq News
Turkiye seeks higher transit fees in new Iraq oil deal talks
Shafaq News – Baghdad/Ankara Iraq and Turkiye have begun preliminary discussions on a potential new agreement to resume crude oil exports through the Turkish port of Ceyhan, according to the Iraqi economic observatory Eco Iraq. The talks come amid Turkish demands to raise oil transit fees to $2.5 per barrel, significantly above the previous rate of $1 to $1.5. Ali Naji, a member of the observatory, told Shafaq News that before exports were halted in 2023, Iraq had been pumping around 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) through the Kirkuk–Ceyhan pipeline, sourced from fields in both Kirkuk and the Kurdistan Region. Exports were suspended after Iraq won an international arbitration case against Turkiye for violating the 1973 pipeline agreement. Naji said the current negotiations are still in early stages and have not yet reached formal talks or the drafting of a new agreement. He noted that the pipeline has a maximum export capacity of one million bpd, should it be restored to full operational levels. The pipeline, one of Iraq's oldest export routes to global markets, has faced repeated security and technical setbacks over the decades, including multiple sabotage attacks between 2004 and 2015 that caused extensive losses and disruptions. On July 21, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan formally signed the termination of the historic oil accord with Iraq, which had been in effect since 1973.
Business Insider
17-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
William Blair Pounds the Table on Nvidia Stock as China Chip Sales Are Back On
Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) had seemed at risk of missing out on a major revenue opportunity in China due to export restrictions on its AI chips. However, it now appears ready to tap back into the country's $50 billion AI chip market after all. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. Make smarter investment decisions with TipRanks' Smart Investor Picks, delivered to your inbox every week. On Monday evening, Nvidia announced in a blog post that it expects to resume sales of its H20 chips, which are specifically designed for the Chinese market. The update comes after a series of high-level discussions involving CEO Jensen Huang and officials from both the Chinese and U.S. governments, including President Trump. This marks a notable reversal for the company. An export ban that took effect in April had forced Nvidia to write down $4.5 billion in inventory, and as recently as June, management said it anticipated no further revenue from China. The company had also projected it would forgo $8 billion in China-related revenue in FQ2, so the timing of this update likely points to a meaningful rebound starting in FQ3. While not many details were offered, and the unpredictable nature of the current U.S. regulatory environment leaves room for a possible return to stricter controls if China-U.S. relations deteriorate, William Blair analyst Sebastien Naji now sees an opportunity for upside in the bottom line. Specifically, the analyst estimates an incremental $0.30 in EPS for fiscal 2026, assuming China revenue reaches around $20 billion for the year, up slightly from $17.1 billion in fiscal 2025, and net income margins stay in line with company averages. Since Nvidia already booked $5.5 billion in China revenue in the first quarter, this would suggest an additional $14.5 billion concentrated in the back half of the year. On top of that, while visibility is still limited, Naji believes there's potential for gross margin tailwinds in the second half as Nvidia begins selling written-down H20 chips, which would carry minimal COGS (cost of goods sold). 'This will likely make it easier for Nvidia to achieve its mid-70% non-GAAP gross margin target in the second half and should push full-year gross margins above our current 70.3% forecast for the year,' Naji went on to add. That said, while for investors the return of China revenue is 'overwhelmingly a positive,' it also reopens the door to downside risk, should renewed export restrictions once again 'drive this opportunity back to zero.' All told, Naji rates NVDA shares an Outperform (i.e., Buy), although he has no fixed price target in mind. (To watch Naji's track record, click here) As for the rest of the Street, Nvidia stock gets the thumbs up from 34 other analysts while 3 Hold and 1 Sell recommendations can't detract from a Strong Buy consensus rating. The average price target stands at $181.95, factoring in a modest 12-month gain of 6%. (See NVDA stock forecast) To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks' Best Stocks to Buy, a tool that unites all of TipRanks' equity insights.
Business Insider
11-06-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
William Blair Sticks to Its Hold Rating for Cisco Systems (CSCO)
William Blair analyst Sebastien Naji maintained a Hold rating on Cisco Systems (CSCO – Research Report) today. The company's shares closed today at $65.15. Confident Investing Starts Here: Easily unpack a company's performance with TipRanks' new KPI Data for smart investment decisions Receive undervalued, market resilient stocks right to your inbox with TipRanks' Smart Value Newsletter According to TipRanks, Naji is a 3-star analyst with an average return of 13.2% and a 66.67% success rate. Naji covers the Technology sector, focusing on stocks such as Broadcom, Cisco Systems, and Marvell. Cisco Systems has an analyst consensus of Moderate Buy, with a price target consensus of $70.77. CSCO market cap is currently $261.6B and has a P/E ratio of 27.07. Based on the recent corporate insider activity of 95 insiders, corporate insider sentiment is negative on the stock. This means that over the past quarter there has been an increase of insiders selling their shares of CSCO in relation to earlier this year.
Shafaq News
27-05-2025
- Shafaq News
Al-Anbar landfill off-limits as Iraqi army blocks violation probe
Shafaq News/ Authorities in al-Anbar are struggling to access a landfill site in the Hit district due to security restrictions imposed by Iraqi forces controlling the area. 'The imposed limitations have prevented environmental committees and field monitoring teams from visiting the location, documenting violations, or taking legal measures,' Al-Anbar Environment Director Qais Naji explained to Shafaq News. He pointed to the formation of a committee to explore relocating the landfill, but noted that the municipality continues to use the current site. Naji blamed unidentified individuals—informal waste pickers—for setting fires inside the landfill, noting that 'the residents of Hit attribute the area's worsening air quality to waste burning.' In turn, the spokesperson for the al-Anbar Health Directorate, Mohammed Al-Qaisi told our agency that multiple environmental complaints have been filed regarding air pollution in Hit.
Asharq Al-Awsat
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Uncertain Future for the PFLP-GC in Post-Assad Syria
The brief detention of Talal Naji, Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command (PFLP-GC), by Syrian authorities has renewed scrutiny over the status of Palestinian factions still operating in Syria, particularly those that aligned with the former Assad regime. Naji's arrest and swift release come amid a major political realignment following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's government in December 2024. Once one of the most active and heavily armed Palestinian groups in Syria, the PFLP-GC now faces an uncertain future, along with other factions that were long tolerated—or even supported—under Assad's rule. A well-informed Palestinian source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the new Syrian administration has appointed a figure known as Abu Abdul Rahman al-Shami to oversee the file of Palestinian factions. Since assuming the role, al-Shami has convened multiple meetings with faction representatives, including regular attendees from the PFLP-GC, to discuss the fate of their fighters, weapons, property, and military infrastructure. According to the source, al-Shami has made it clear that the new government intends to hold accountable any individuals or groups implicated in crimes against Syrian civilians during the civil war. Palestinian factions have been instructed to surrender all weapons and military equipment, and to limit their activities to humanitarian and relief work. The PFLP-GC, the source said, has largely complied. Despite the fall of the Assad regime, Naji and much of the PFLP-GC's second- and third-tier leadership have remained in Syria. Its offices in Damascus reportedly continue to operate, though under heightened scrutiny. Other faction leaders, however, have fled. Among them are Khaled Abdul Majid (Popular Struggle Front), Ziyad al-Saghir (Fatah–Intifada), Mohammad al-Saeed (Liwa al-Quds), and Saed Abdel Al (Free Palestine Movement). Most are believed to have sought refuge in Lebanon. Sources confirmed that several PFLP-GC fighters have been detained in recent weeks in connection with alleged war crimes committed during their cooperation with Assad's forces. The Syrian government has also moved to seize faction offices and military installations across the country, including properties belonging to Fatah–Intifada, the Free Palestine Movement, and the Sa'iqa Forces. Sa'iqa's leader, Mohammad Qais, remains in Syria. In a further blow, authorities have reportedly frozen bank accounts belonging to some Palestinian factions, both in state and private banks, although it remains unclear whether the PFLP-GC is among them. Additionally, it is widely believed that the PFLP-GC has handed over its military training camps, which were previously spread across Damascus countryside, Daraa, Aleppo, and Suwayda. 'The situation is extremely sensitive, and everyone is anxious,' one Palestinian source told Asharq Al-Awsat. 'It's likely they've surrendered those sites.' The sense of unease deepened last month when Syrian authorities detained two senior Islamic Jihad officials in Damascus: Khaled Khaled, head of the group's Syria bureau, and Abu Ali Yasser, its chief organizational officer. Both remain in custody, and no official charges have been announced. The current atmosphere of fear and uncertainty has driven faction leaders to avoid public comment. Most now insist on anonymity when speaking to local or international media. Before the outbreak of the Syrian uprising in March 2011, Syria hosted more than a dozen Palestinian factions. As the conflict escalated, the Assad regime encouraged the formation of new pro-regime groups, composed largely of Palestinian refugees, to fight alongside its forces.
