Economy
Geopolitical Tensions in Middle East, Europe Elevate Crude Oil Market
By Adedapo Adesanya
The crude oil market settled higher on Tuesday as geopolitical tensions continued in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, with Brent futures up by 77 cents or 0.94 per cent to trade at $82.77 per barrel as the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures grew by 95 cents or 1.24 per cent to finish at $77.87 per barrel.
Conflict in the Middle East kept prices elevated as talks involving the US, Egypt, Israel, and Qatar on a Gaza truce ended without a breakthrough on Tuesday.
This came as calls grew for Israel to hold back on a planned assault on the southern end of the enclave of Rafah, crammed with over a million displaced people.
Fears of further escalation of the war also stoked worries about the oil supply outlook.
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis have continued their attacks in the Red Sea, claiming solidarity with Palestinians and striking vessels with commercial ties to the US, Britain, and Israel.
Also, the US rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin’s suggestion of a ceasefire in Ukraine as he reportedly sent signals to the American government in 2023 in public and privately through intermediaries, including through Moscow’s Arab partners in the Middle East and others, that he was ready to consider a ceasefire in Ukraine.
Analysts say the ceasefire came at a time when US sanctions are finally starting to bite as countries back away from taking Russian supplies.
Meanwhile, gains were curtailed as investors reined in expectations for the US Federal Reserve interest rate cuts.
Consumer inflation stayed elevated last month signalling that US Federal Reserve policymakers are now expected to wait longer before cutting interest rates.
This could dampen economic growth and oil demand, and it also boosted the Dollar to three-month peaks, which reduces demand for oil among buyers paying in other currencies.
US crude oil inventories rose last week as data from the American Petroleum Institute (API) showed crude stocks rose 8.52 million barrels in the week ended February 9.
The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) stuck to its forecast for relatively strong growth in global oil demand in 2024 and 2025 and raised its economic growth forecasts for both years.
The producer group and allies including Russia, known as OPEC+, will decide in March whether to extend oil production cuts.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Seven price gainers ensured that the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange ended the first trading week of the year 2025 in the positive territory, with a 0.55 per cent gain.
In the four-day trading week, the market capitalisation of the bourse went up by N9.74 billion to N1.046 trillion from the N1.036 trillion recorded in the last trading week of 2024, as the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) increased by 16.74 points to finish at 3,052.34 points, in contrast to the 3,035.61 points achieved in Week 52 of last year.
Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) Plc topped the advancers’ chart after it closed higher by 33.3 per cent to close at 20 Kobo per unit versus 15 Kobo per unit, UBN Property Plc grew by 10 per cent to end at N1.98 per share compared with the previous week’s N1.80 share and Air Liquide Plc also gained 10 per cent to end at N8.80 per unit against the former value of N8.00 per unit.
Further, 11 Plc rose by 7.9 per cent to N232.10 per share from N215.00 per share, Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc improved by 4.8 per cent to N23.05 per unit from N22.00 per unit, Food Concepts Plc jumped by 1.3 per cent to close at N1.60 per share versus N1.58 per share, and Geo-Fluids Plc appreciated by 0.8 per cent to N4.89 per unit versus N4.85 per unit.
On the flip side, FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc shed 9.3 per cent to N39.76 per share from N43.84 per share, and Acorn Petroleum Plc depreciated by 9.1 per cent to N1.40 per unit from N1.54 per unit.
Last week, the volume of equities transacted went down by 41.8 per cent to 12.44 million units from 21.37 million units, the value of securities traded by investors slumped by 46.7 per cent to N61.62 million from N115.8 million, and the number of deals declined by 30.99 per cent to 49 deals from 71 deals.
FrieslandCampina Wamco Plc was the busiest stock in the week by value with N55.8 million, IGI Plc recorded N2.1 million, 11 Plc posted N1.5 million, CSCS Plc traded N1.1 million, and Geo-Fluids Plc recorded N0.59 million.
By volume, IGI Plc topped with 55.8 million units, FrieslandCampina Wamco Plc transacted 1.4 million units, UBN Property Plc recorded 0.276 million, Geo-Fluids Plc traded 0.120 million units, and CSCS Plc exchanged 0.047 million units.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Nigerians may soon begin to purchase petroleum products at the retail stations of Heyden Petroleum and Ardova Plc across Nigeria at lower prices.
This is because the two players in the nation’s downstream petroleum sector have entered into a bulk purchase agreement with the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
Recall that a few weeks ago, MRS Oil Nigeria Plc sealed a deal with Dangote Refinery, enabling it to sell premium motor spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, at N935 per litre across all its stations nationwide, addressing the long-standing issue of price disparities between states.
This action pushed the share price of MRS Oil at the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited to a new 52-week high last Friday, as investors became increasingly optimistic about the company’s future earnings prospects.
Propelled by the economic relief provided by President Bola Tinubu’s crude-for-naira swap initiative, Ardova Plc and Heyden Petroleum agreed to join Dangote Refinery to bring down the prices of petroleum products.
Reports indicate that the bulk purchase agreement with Dangote Petroleum Refinery will enable both Ardova and Heyden to secure a reliable and consistent supply of petroleum products from the world’s largest single-train refinery, ensuring a stable supply of fuel at competitive prices, benefiting consumers across the country.
The arrangement ensures that Ardova and Heyden will have access to a full range of refined products, thereby securing their operations with a reliable supply chain.
The partnership with Dangote Refinery is poised to have a transformative impact on Nigeria’s oil and gas market. By ensuring a stable and affordable supply of fuel products in the over 1,000 retail outlets of the two companies, the agreement will help to alleviate the recurring issue of fuel scarcity that has long plagued Nigeria.
“This framework will see Ardova Plc offtake a full slate of petroleum products from the refinery. While Ardova Plc has been a significant off-taker from the refinery since its inception, this new framework will institutionalise a more robust relationship between the two companies to further enhance the emerging competitive landscape in the downstream oil and gas industry in the country,” a statement from Ardova stated.
Ardova has been a key off-taker from the Dangote Refinery since its inception, but this new framework is expected to formalise and strengthen the partnership between the two companies, creating long-term benefits for both parties.
The Dangote Refinery, which began production in 2024, has already played a pivotal role in addressing these challenges. Its large-scale operations have helped alleviate the supply pressures that often lead to price hikes and fuel shortages.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
All shares of Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc have been delisted from the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited trading platform.
This development was confirmed in a notice issued by the bourse last week to the investing public.
The disclosure was signed by the Head of the Issuer Regulation Department of the NGX, Mr Godstime Iwenekhai.
Before the action was taken, the stock exchange had suspended trading in the shares of the company ahead of its exit from the market.
“We refer to our market bulletin of 16 December 2024 with reference Number: NGXREG/IRD/MB93/24/12/16 wherein the market was notified of the suspension placed on trading in the securities of Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc in preparation for the delisting of the company.
“Following the approval of the company’s application to delist its entire issued share capital from Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), please be informed that the entire issued share capital of Flour Mills of Nigeria were on Monday, December 30, 2024, delisted from the daily official list of NGX,” the statement said.
Flour Mills is leaving the local equity market after its majority shareholders agreed to acquire the stocks held by minority investors at N86 per unit.
The organisation is embarking on an ambitious $1 billion investment plan to expand its presence and impact across the African continent over the next four years, which is anticipated to create new opportunities and unlock value for the company, its employees, and economies throughout Africa.
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