Business

US, Europe Stocks Drop As Dollar Rises

Published

2 years ago

February 13, 2024

Stocks in the United States and Europe slumped on Tuesday while the dollar climbed as data showed that US inflation slowed less than expected in January, diminishing chances of an early interest rate cut.

The closely watched Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 3.1 per cent from a year ago in January, down from 3.4 per cent in December, the Department of Labor said, while analysts had tipped the rate could fall below 3.0 per cent.

Meanwhile, the “core” CPI reading that excludes volatile food and energy prices and is more important to policymakers, was steady at a 3.9 per cent annual increase.

The US Federal Reserve has indicated it will likely begin to cut interest rates – which it began to hike in 2022 to tame surging inflation – later this year as the pace of price rises returns closer to its 2.0 percent target. That has heightened the attention of investors to US inflation data.

“The January inflation report came in hot across the board and that has the potential to spook investors after a big rally over the last few months,” said eToro analyst Bret Kenwell.

Stocks have been propelled to new heights in recent months as investors anticipate a drop in interest rates which will boost the fortunes of companies, as well as the blockbuster performance of the US tech industry thanks to the boom in artificial intelligence.

Patrick O’Hare at Briefing.com said that “the hotter-than-expected CPI may give investors an excuse to take profits in a market that many feel is overbought on a short-term basis.”

Wall Street’s main indices fell by more than one per cent, with the Dow shedding 1.1 per cent from a record high.

Europe stocks closed down almost one per cent.

Traders had been hoping that Tuesday’s CPI reading in the world’s biggest economy would give the Federal Reserve room to lower interest rates.

Last month, Fed chief Jerome Powell indicated a continuation in the trend of falling inflation was sufficient for the US central bank to begin cutting interest rates later this year, but downplayed the likelihood of a March cut that the market had been hoping for.

“Hopes for a Fed March rate cut have all but disappeared with the market now pricing in a 53 percent probability of a first cut being seen in June,” said market analyst Axel Rudolph at online trading platform IG.

In Asia, most of the region returned to work after a long weekend. Tokyo led advances thanks to a surge in shares of Japanese investment group SoftBank, which was boosted by another blockbuster day for its US-listed chip designer Arm.

Arm has almost doubled in value in the past week — and trebled since its September listing — owing to healthy demand for semiconductors fuelled by an expected boom in artificial intelligence.

Bitcoin topped $50,000 Monday for the first time since late 2021 as investors grew optimistic that US approval of broader trading in the unit will ramp up demand.

The cryptocurrency has enjoyed a strong run in recent months, fuelled by expectations US lawmakers would allow the creation of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that track the price and let the public invest in crypto without directly purchasing it.

After initially dropping in reaction to last month’s green light by Washington, bitcoin has rallied about 25 per cent since January 22.

AFP

Business

JUST IN: CBN Removes Cash Deposit Limits, Raises Weekly Withdrawal To N500,000

Published

9 hours ago

December 3, 2025

Editor

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has removed cash deposit limits and also increased the weekly cash withdrawal limit from N100,000 to N500,000.

The CBN made this known in a circular to all banks and other financial institutions, signed by Dr Rita Sike, Director, Financial Policy and Regulation Department.

Sike said that the revisions formed part of ongoing efforts to moderate the rising cost of cash management and address security concerns.

According to her, it will also curb money laundering risks associated with heavy reliance on cash.

She said that the cash-related policies previously issued in response to evolving circumstances were aimed at reducing cash usage and promoting the adoption of electronic payment channels.

“However, with time, the need to streamline and update these provisions to reflect present-day realities became necessary,” she said.

She said that with effect from Jan. 1, 2026, the cumulative deposit limit would be removed and the fee previously charged on excess deposits would no longer apply.

The director said that the cumulative weekly withdrawal limit across all channels has been reviewed to N500,000 for individuals and five million Naira for corporates.

“Withdrawals above these thresholds will attract excess withdrawal charges as specified,” she said. “The special monthly authorisation that allowed individuals to withdraw five million Naira and corporates N10 million once a month has been abolished.”

She said that for Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), daily withdrawal remains capped at N100,000 per customer, with a maximum of N500,000 weekly.

She said that this formed part of the overall weekly withdrawal limit applicable to all channels, including point-of-sale (POS) transactions.

Sike said that excess withdrawals above the stipulated limits would attract three per cent for individuals and five per cent for corporate customers.

According to her, this will be shared in the ratio of 40 per cent to the CBN and 60 per cent to the operating bank or financial institution.

She directed banks to load all currency denominations in ATMs, while the existing limit on over-the-counter encashment of third-party cheques remains pegged at N100,000.

Sike said that such withdrawals would be counted as part of the cumulative weekly limit.

The director said that banks were also required to render monthly returns to the relevant supervisory departments.

She listed the departments to include the Banking Supervision Department, Other Financial Institutions Supervision Department, and the Payments System Supervision Department.

Sike said that revenue-generating accounts of federal, state, and local governments were exempted from the new withdrawal rules.

She said that accounts of microfinance banks and primary mortgage banks held with commercial and non-interest banks are also exempted from the new rules.

She, however, said that the long-standing exemption previously enjoyed by embassies, diplomatic missions, and aid-donor agencies had been removed.

Business

Naira Records Depreciation Against US Dollar Across Official, Black Markets

Published

1 day ago

December 2, 2025

Editor

The naira depreciated against the dollar at the official and parallel foreign exchange markets on Monday to begin the new month on a bearish note.

Central Bank of Nigeria’s data showed that the Naira weakened to N1,448.44 on Monday, down from N1,446.74 traded on Friday last week.

This means that the naira dropped by N1.7 against the dollar on Monday when compared to Friday.

Similarly, at the black market, the Naira declined by N5 to N1,475 on Monday from N1,470 at the close of work last week.

The development comes as Nigeria’s foreign reserves stood at $44.61 billion as of November 27th, 2025.

Business

NNPCL Revenue, Profit Soar To N5.08tn, N447bn In October

Published

4 days ago

November 29, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has announced a significant revenue increase to N5.078 trillion for October 2025.

The state-owned firm disclosed this in its monthly financial report released on Saturday.

According to the financial report, from N5.078 revenue in October, the company posted a N447 profit after tax.

The figure represents a significant 19.2 percent increase in revenue from N4.26 trillion and a 106 percent rise in PAT from N216 billion in September 2025.

The report stated that from January to September, NNPCL paid N11.150 trillion in statutory payments to the federation.

Four days ago, NNPCL posted a total of N45.1 trillion as total revenue for the 2024 financial year.