Business

MTN, Dangote Cement, Others Drag Equity Market To N1.8tn Loss

Published

1 year ago

February 20, 2024

The equity market opened in the reds on Monday as investors lost about N1.82tn.

Substantial depreciations were observed in bellwether stocks, fuelled by strong sell interest in the market. Specifically, securities such as Dangote Cement, MTN Nigeria, NGX Group, NEM Insurance, and Tantalizer dipped by 10 percent, 10 percent, -9.76 percent, -9.74 percent, and -9.52 percent, respectively.

Both the All-Share Index and the market capitalisation of the local bourse depreciated by 3.15 percent to close at 102,393.23 points and N56.03tn due to waning market sentiment. Hence, the year-to-date return of the index dipped to 36.94 percent from 41.39 percent in the previous trading session.

Trading activities remained subdued into the new week with notable decreases in the total traded volume and value by 17.60 percent and 5.59 percent to 273.85 million units and N7.44bn, respectively. However, the total deals for the day bucked the trend, advancing by 17.60 percent to 9,688 trades.

In eight months of Tinubu administration, Nigeria’s stock market leads the world
Despite the market sentiments, buy pressure was observed in Juli Plc, Daar Communications, Sunu Assurances, ABC Transport, and NAHCO, as their share prices rose by 9.52 percent, 8.64 percent, 6.74 percent, 6.67 percent, and 5.86 percent.

On the sectoral front, tracked sub-sector indices closed in red territory. The Industrial Goods sector topped the chart for the most losers with a massive 6.02 percent decline, primarily driven by sell-pressure in Dangote Cement. This was followed by the Insurance sector with a loss of 2.49 percent, attributable majorly, to share price declines in NEM Insurance, Linkage Assurance, and VeritasKap.

Sectors such as Banking, Consumer Goods, and Oil/Gas declined by 0.24 percent, 0.77 percent, and 0.28 percent, respectively.

Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc was the most traded security by volume with 28.85 million units, while Geregu led in value at N1.74bn.

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Business

Naira Appreciates At Official Market

Published

2 weeks ago

May 24, 2025

Editor

The Naira, which has seen steady appreciation against the Dollar all week, closed stronger on Friday, trading at ₦1,580.44 in the official forex market.

Data from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s website show the Naira gained ₦4.51k against the Dollar on Friday alone.

This marks a 0.28 per cent appreciation from Thursday’s closing rate of ₦1,584.95 in the official foreign exchange window.

The local currency maintained consistent strength throughout the week, recording gains daily.

On Monday, May 19, it traded at ₦1,598.68; on Tuesday, at ₦1,590.45; and on Wednesday, at ₦1,584.49.

These gains suggest increased investor confidence and improved forex supply, contributing to the naira’s performance.

Meanwhile, the CBN, at its 300th Monetary Policy Committee meeting held Monday and Tuesday, retained the Monetary Policy Rate at 27.5 per cent.

Business

BREAKING: Again, Dangote Refinery Cuts Petrol Price

Published

2 weeks ago

May 22, 2025

Editor

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced a nationwide reduction in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, with new prices now ranging between ₦875 and ₦905 per litre, depending on location.

The ₦15 per litre cut applies across all regions and partner fuel stations, and was confirmed via an official announcement posted on Dangote Refinery’s social media channels on Thursday.

Major marketers participating in the new pricing regime include MRS, Ardova, Heyden, Optima Energy, Techno Oil, and Hyde Energy — partners in the distribution of Dangote-refined products.

Under the previous pricing structure, Lagos residents paid ₦890 per litre, while prices reached ₦920 in the North-East and South-South regions. With the latest adjustment, Lagos now pays ₦875 per litre, while the North-East and South-South will see prices drop to ₦905.

A regional breakdown of the revised prices is as follows: Lagos: ₦875, South-West: ₦885, North-West & Central: ₦895, North-East & South-South: ₦905 and South-East: ₦905.

In its announcement, Dangote Refinery encouraged consumers to purchase fuel only from authorised partner stations and urged the public to report any cases of non-compliance via its official hotlines: +234 707 470 2099 and +234 707 470 2100.

“Our quality petrol and diesel are refined for better engine performance and are environmentally friendly,” the company said.

Business

Naira Appreciates Against Dollar At Foreign Exchange Market

Published

3 weeks ago

May 17, 2025

Editor

The Naira ended the trading week on a positive note, recording a bullish close on Friday at the official foreign exchange market.

It appreciated N1,598.72 against the U.S. Dollar, reflecting a modest gain that suggests continued efforts to stabilise the local currency.

According to figures published on the Central Bank of Nigeria’s official website, the Naira strengthened by N0.60k against the Dollar on Friday.

This upward movement represents a 0.03 per cent appreciation compared to the N1,599.32 exchange rate recorded at the close of trading on Thursday.

The local currency had shown some resilience earlier in the week, posting gains on both Tuesday and Wednesday trading sessions.

On Tuesday, the Naira appreciated by 0.02 per cent, followed by a stronger gain of 0.21 per cent on Wednesday.

These improvements were seen as positive indicators of growing investor confidence and increased supply in the foreign exchange market.

However, Thursday’s trading session saw a minor setback, with the Naira slipping by N2.62 against the Dollar.

This loss equated to a 0.16 per cent depreciation, dampening the midweek rally seen in previous sessions.

Market analysts attributed Thursday’s dip to a brief increase in Dollar demand from importers and other market participants.

Despite this, the week still closed on a positive note, with the Naira showing signs of gradual recovery and increased market stability.

Analysts continue to monitor the Central Bank’s policies, especially interventions aimed at improving Dollar liquidity and managing demand pressures.

The Naira’s performance in the coming weeks will likely depend on consistent supply inflows and investor sentiment across the broader economic landscape.