₦airaland Forum

T-Bills Yields Gain 0.33% as Market Trades Bearish
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/07/t-bills-yields-gain-0-33-as-market-trades-bearish/

Nigerian Pension Funds Diversify into Sukuk, Green Bonds
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/07/nigerian-pension-funds-diversify-sukuk-green-bonds/

CBN to Raise Capital Base of Microfinance Banks
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/06/cbn-raise-capital-base-microfinance-banks/

What Nigerians Must Consider Before Investing in Bitcoin—Olaoye
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/06/nigerians-must-consider-investing-bitcoin-olaoye/

Why Future Belongs to Firms That Embrace Blockchain
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/06/future-belongs-firms-embrace-blockchain/

AXA Mansard Board to Discuss Financial Reports, Dividend
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/06/axa-mansard-board-discuss-financial-reports-dividend/

NSE Records N2.5tr Transactions in 2017
**As Foreign, Domestic Transactions Rise
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/06/nse-records-n2-5tr-transactions-2017/

T-Bills Market Quiet as CBN Resumes OMO Auction, Mops up N116b
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/06/t-bills-market-quiet-cbn-resumes-omo-auction-mops-n116b/

DMO Opens February FGN Savings Bond Auction
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/05/dmo-opens-february-fgn-savings-bond-auction/

Banks Record 462m Transactions Worth N29.44tr in Q4—NBS
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/05/banks-record-462m-transactions-worth-n29-44tr-in-q4-nbs/

By Dipo Olowookere

Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday has revealed that a total volume of 461,980,541 transactions valued at N29.44 trillion were recorded in fourth quarter of 2017.

The stats office disclosed in its report today that figures were obtained from the Electronic Payment Channels in the Nigeria Banking Sector.

Also in the report, the NBS said Automated Teller Machine (ATM) transactions dominated the volume of transactions recorded.

It was revealed that 239,692,229 volume of ATM transactions valued at N1.833 billion were recorded in Q4 2017.

In terms of credit to private sector, a total of N15.74 trillion worth of credit was allocated by the banks in Q4 2017.

Furthermore, the Oil & Gas and Manufacturing sectors got credit allocation of N3.58 trillion and N2.17 trillion to record the highest credit allocation in the period under review.

As at Q4, 2017, the total number of banks staffs increased by 9.19 percent from 82,840 in Q3 2017 to 90,453, the stats office said.

View the full report here https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/05/banks-record-462m-transactions-worth-n29-44tr-in-q4-nbs/

Stock Recommendation for This Week (February 5)
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/05/stock-recommendation-week-february-5/

Is Nigerian Equities Market Overvalued?
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/04/nigerian-equities-market-overvalued/

AfDB to Raise Africa's Overall GDP to $5.6tr by 2025
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/05/afdb-raise-africas-overall-gdp-5-6tr-2025/

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Last year, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) was among the best performing markets in the world, growing by over 40 percent.

This was buoyed by the resilience demonstrated by banks listed on the local bourse amidst tougher operating conditions.

According to a report released by Afrinvest Research, banking stocks, driven by tier-one banks like GTBank, Zenith Bank, UBA and Access Bank, offered the best returns to investors in the equities market in Nigeria in 2017.

The banking sector of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, which was rated second best bourse in Africa and 11th best in the world, gave equity investors a 73.3 per cent return on investment in one year.

According to Afrinvest, investors showed significant interest in the four above banks, which led to Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) Plc recording 64.9 percent price appreciation in the period, while Zenith Bank Plc recorded 73.8 percent price gain. Access Bank Plc increased its share value with a gain of 78 percent, while United Bank for Africa Plc emerged the most improved stock in terms of price appreciation with 128.9 percent growth.

According to analysts at Afrinvest Research, “Given the resilience demonstrated by the banks amidst tougher operating conditions, the banking index was unsurprisingly the best performing sector in 2017, up 73.3 percent.

“Performance of the banks remained driven by resilient earnings, supported by interest income (due to higher interest rate environment).”

In its outlook for 2018, Afrinvest Research said the banking index will again take the lead with 88.2 percent return with the Consumer Goods sector tipped to return 37 percent, like it did in 2017.

Last year, the Consumer Goods index gained 37 percent as increase in product prices and improvement in access to FX as well as the relative peace in the North Eastern part of the country, positively impacted earnings of companies in the sector.

Also, the Oil & Gas index gained 5.8 percent for the year, majorly due to performance of Upstream players – SEPLAT (+56.9%) and OANDO (+27.4%) – which was bolstered by the cessation of attacks on oil installations in the Niger Delta as well as improved global oil prices.

Sentiment towards the downstream players remained soft during the year, due to absence of reforms needed to revitalize the sector.

The overall performance of the Nigerian stock market has been attributed to renewed interest by domestic and foreign investors following stability in macroeconomic fundamentals recorded by Africa’s biggest economy in 2017.

https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/04/nse-banking-stocks-offer-investors-88-gain-2018/

Market Players Anticipate Inflows of N67.7b in Matured T-Bills
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/05/market-players-anticipate-inflows-n67-7b-matured-t-bills/

14 Equities Fall Below 50 Kobo in Five Days
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/04/14-equities-fall-50-kobo-five-days/

GCR Affirms Union Bank’s National Scale Rating of BBB+(NG)
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/04/gcr-affirms-union-banks-national-scale-rating-bbbng/

NSE: Banking Stocks to Offer Investors 88% Gain in 2018
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/04/nse-banking-stocks-offer-investors-88-gain-2018/

Cancer is one disease that is fast spreading in Nigeria and not much has been done by government to manage the situation.

The mention of cancer, like it used to be with HIV/AIDS in the past, sends a huge fear to people mainly because of the cost of managing it.

Though very expensive to treat, cancer, especially colorectal cancer, which is cancer of the colon or large intestines, is spreading fast in the country and one organisation that has taken the bull by the horn is the Niola Cancer Care Foundation (NCCF), which has Eniola Salu Akintunde as its chairperson.

Akintunde, who lost her husband to colorectal cancer, in this interview with Business Post to mark the World Cancer Day on Sunday, February 4, 2018, shared her views on the menace; causes, symptoms, prevention and others. Excerpts;

How is your organisation marking this year’s World Cancer Day

As one of the cancer NGOs in the country, we are marking the day with an advocacy with the media unlike last year where we had a walk.

Any reason for this

Yes, because this year’s event falls on a Sunday and it would be difficult to get people to do a walk when most of them would be in church. So, we believe using the media this year would be the best thing to do to create our cancer awareness to Nigerians.

At the moment, do you think cancer awareness is enough

No, it is not enough. Nigeria is a very religious country and this is one of our biggest challenges as an NGO in creating cancer awareness and that is why we are getting the clerics involved in our campaigns.

If someone has any health issue, he needs to see the doctors; while the pastors and Imam do the praying. We should not first seek the clerics’ help before rushing to the hospital when situationsare in critical stage. It is very important to first seek medical help to enable the religious leaders know where to channel their prayers to. In Nigeria, you hear people say ‘cancer is not my portion’, yes, cancer is nobody’s portion, but we need to do the needful medically.

Read full interview here
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/04/bad-eating-habit-spread-colorectal-cancer-nigeria-eniola-salu/

Zubair Seeks Strong, Competitive Regional Capital Market
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/03/zubair-seeks-strong-competitive-regional-capital-market/

FGN Eurobonds Prices Crash on Sell Pressure
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/03/fgn-eurobonds-prices-crash-sell-pressure/

FMDQ lists Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Funds
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/03/fmdq-lists-stanbic-ibtc-asset-management-funds/

Zinox Buys Konga
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/03/zinox-buys-konga/

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Traders in the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) posted a loss this week as the major market indices pointed south.

The All-Share Index and Market Capitalization depreciated by 1.98 percent and 2.09 percent to close the week at 44,639.99 and N16.019 trillion respectively.

Similarly, all other indices finished higher during the week with the exception of the NSE-Main Board, NSE Consumer Goods and NSE Oil/Gas Indices that depreciated by 0.33 percent, 3.33 percent and 0.70 percent respectively while the NSE ASeM Index closed flat.

Business Post reports that during the week, a total turnover of 3.268 billion shares worth N28.123 billion in 35,761 deals were traded by investors on the floor of the NSE in contrast to a total of 7.157 billion shares valued at N42.545 billion that exchanged hands last week in 39,037 deals.

The Financial Services Industry (measured by volume) led the activity chart with 2.482 billion shares valued at N17.056 billion traded in 23,039 deals; thus contributing 75.96 percent and 60.65 percent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

The Conglomerates Industry followed with 375.113 million shares worth N1.047 billion in 1,968 deals. The third place was occupied by Consumer Goods Industry with a turnover of 262.198 million shares worth N6.843 billion in 5,921 deals.

Trading in the top three equities namely–FCMB Group Plc, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc, and Skye Bank Plc (measured by volume) accounted for 1.181 billion shares worth N2.830 billion in 5,219 deals, contributing 36.14 percent and 10.06 percent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively 49 equities appreciated in price during the week, higher than 30 of the previous week.

During the week too, 42 equities depreciated in price, lower than 44 equities of the previous week, while 81 equities remained unchanged lower than 98 equities recorded in the preceding week.

Also traded during the week were a total of 32,189 units of Exchange Traded Products (ETPs) valued at N1.299 million executed in 19 deals, compared with a total of 153,755 units valued at N1.883 million that was transacted last week in 11 deals.

A total of 16,268 units of Federal Government Bonds valued at N17.053 million were traded this week in 28 deals, compared with a total of 6,715 units valued at N5.318 million transacted last week in 15 deals.

https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/03/stock-traders-lose-n14b-index-fall-1-98-one-week/

Interbank Rate Jumps to 12.17% Despite Absence of OMO Auction
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/03/interbank-rate-jumps-12-17-despite-absence-omo-auction/

Seplat Lists Additional 25m Shares on Nigerian Stock Exchange
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/02/seplat-lists-additional-25m-shares-nigerian-stock-exchange/

Bitcoin Biggest Bubble in Human History—Financial Expert
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/02/bitcoin-biggest-bubble-human-history-financial-expert/

zamirikpo:
My TB just matured yesterday. And b4 I woke up the alert was already there.

Anyways the wahala now is this 13% u guyz are talking about is not sweeting me at all. And I hear cryptos are tanking.

Wetin person go do now.

Bitcoin Biggest Bubble in Human History—Financial Expert
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/02/bitcoin-biggest-bubble-human-history-financial-expert/

Inflation to Drop to 15.04% in January on Slower Food Index Growth—FSDH
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/02/inflation-drop-15-04-january-slower-food-index-growth-fsdh/

T-Bills Contributes 42.5% to FMDQ N142tr Turnover in 2017
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/02/t-bills-contributes-42-5-fmdq-n142tr-turnover-2017/

Flour Mills to Restructure Balance Sheet With N40b Rights Issue
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/02/flour-mills-restructure-balance-sheet-n40b-rights-issue/

By Dipo Olowookere

One of the leading financial consulting firms in Nigeria, FSDH, has predicted a drop in the nation’s inflation rate for the month of January.

In its Inflation Watch report released on Thursday, February 1, 2018, the company said inflation will drop to 15.04 percent from 15.37 percent recorded in December 2017.

“FSDH Research expects the inflation rate (year-on-year) to drop to 15.04 percent in January 2018 from 15.37 percent recorded in the month of December 2017,” the report said.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), according to its calendar, will release the inflation rate for the month of January 2018 on February 14, 2018.

According to FSDH, the expected decline in the inflation rate is as a result of a slower growth in the year on year Food Index in January 2018 than what was recorded in December 2017.

It said the January 2018 monthly Food Price Index (FPI) from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) shows that the Index averaged 169.5 points. The Index was largely unchanged from the December 2017 figure.

The FPI was down by 0.18 percent, from the revised December 2017 figure but almost 3 percent below the corresponding period last year.

The movement in the food prices were in varying directions in January 2018. The cereal and vegetable oil prices appreciated while sugar and dairy prices depreciated.

The FAO Dairy Price Index depreciated by 2.44 percent in January. The prices of dairy products such as cheese and butter depreciated significantly during the period. The FAO Sugar Price Index dropped by 1.49 percent on the heels of favourable supply conditions in the main sugar producing regions in Brazil and increased exports availabilities.

The FAO Meat Index was marginally down by 0.60 percent on the backdrop of weak global import demand for poultry and pig meat.

On the flip side, the FAO Cereal Price Index gained 2.31 percent from the previous month. Wheat, maize and rice prices firmed up and were primarily responsible for the uptick in the value of the Index.

The FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index was up marginally by 0.33 percent, driven by the rise in palm oil prices which outweighed weakening prices for other oils.

“Our analysis indicates that the value of the Naira appreciated in the inter-bank market while it depreciated in the parallel market. The Naira gained 30kobo to close at N305.70/ $ in the interbank market while it lost N1 to close at N364.50/ $ in the parallel market.

“FSDH Research expects the drop in the international prices of food to counter the effect of the depreciation in the Naira in the parallel market.

“Hence, there should be a moderation in the pass-through effect of imported goods on local prices. The prices of most of the food items we monitored in January 2018 moved in varying directions, leading to 0.79 percent increase in our Food and Non-Alcoholic Index. The Food and Non-Alcoholic Index increased by 18.78 percent from 220.41 points in January 2017.

“We also noticed increase in the prices of Transport and Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels divisions between December 2017 and January 2018.

“We estimate that the increase in the Composite Consumer Price Index (CCPI) in January 2018 would produce an inflation rate of 15.04 percent lower than the 15.37 percent recorded in December 2017,” the report said.

https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/02/inflation-drop-15-04-january-slower-food-index-growth-fsdh/

Treasury Bills Market Remains Bullish as CBN Drains N215b
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/02/treasury-bills-market-remains-bullish-cbn-drains-n215b/

Fitch Affirms First Bank’s B- Rating with Negative Outlook
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/01/fitch-affirms-first-banks-b-rating-negative-outlook/

Fitch Affirms Zenith Bank at 'B+', Outlook Negative
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/01/fitch-affirms-zenith-bank-b-outlook-negative/

Fitch Affirms GTBank at 'B+' With Negative Outlook
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/01/fitch-affirms-gtbank-b-negative-outlook/

Fitch Affirms UBA at 'B' with Stable Outlook
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/01/fitch-affirms-uba-b-stable-outlook/

Fitch Upgrades Access Bank National Rating to 'A+(nga)'
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/01/fitch-upgrades-access-bank-national-rating-anga/

T-Bills Market Trades Bullish as CBN Raises N253b from PMA
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/01/t-bills-market-trades-bullish-cbn-raises-n253b-pma/

Africa Prudential Unveils Personal Registrar Code to Check Dividend, Others
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/02/01/africa-prudential-unveils-personal-registrar-code-check-dividend-others/

Guinness Nigeria Earnings Rebound Despite Weakening Margins
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/01/31/guinness-nigeria-earnings-rebound-despite-weakening-margins/

Senate to Probe Cryptocurrency Trading in Nigeria
https://www.businesspost.ng/2018/01/31/senate-to-probe-cryptocurrency-trading-in-nigeria/