Economy

Asian Stocks Finish Higher as Oil Prices Inch up

Published

7 years ago

24/10/2017

By Investors Hub

Asian stocks finished mostly higher on Tuesday as the yen held steady, oil prices inched higher and China’s ruling Communist Party voted to endorse a second five-year term for President Xi Jinping.

Japanese shares extended gains for a 16th consecutive session on the back of a weaker yen and amid relief over the BOJ policies.

The Nikkei 225 Index closed 108.52 points or 0.5 percent higher at 21,805.17, with exporters and banks leading the surge. The broader Topix index gained 0.7 percent to finish at 1,756.92. Yaskawa Electric shares fell 3.6 percent after the company unveiled its first-half earnings.

On the economic front, the latest survey from Nikkei revealed that activity in Japan’s manufacturing sector continued to expand in October, albeit at a slightly slower pace with a manufacturing PMI score of 52.5, down from 52.9 in September.

Chinese stocks rose as the Communist Party of China endorsed a second five-year term for President Xi Jinping.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite rose 7.55 points or 0.2 percent to 3,388.25, although Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index fell 150.91 points or 0.5 percent to 28,154.97.

Australian shares closed marginally higher as strong metal prices boosted miners, offsetting losses in the financial sector. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index and the broader All Ordinaries index both rose less than 0.1 percent to close at 5,897.60 and 5,962.50, respectively.

Mining heavyweights BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto eked out modest gains, while Fortescue Metals Group and South32 ended up more than 1 percent each. Gold miners Newcrest and Regis rose over 1 percent and Northern Star climbed 3.6 percent as gold edged up on a softer dollar.

The big four banks finished flat to marginally lower and grocery giant Woolworths shed 0.8 percent. Energy stocks also ended a tad lower despite crude oil prices edging higher overnight.

Nufarm shares entered a trading halt after the company agreed to buy a European portfolio of crop protection products from Adama and Syngenta for A$691 million.

In economic news, a weekly survey compiled by the ANZ bank and Roy Morgan Research showed that Australia’s consumer confidence index rose to 113.3 during the week ended October 22nd from 112.4 in the preceding week, driven by improvements in expectations for the near and long-term economic outlook.

Economy

Stock Exchange Attracts N76.552bn from 3.132 billion Shares in One Week

Published

8 minutes ago

27/01/2025

Dipo Olowookere

By Dipo Olowookere

Investors bought and sold 3.132 billion shares worth N76.552 billion in 61,456 deals at the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited last week compared with the 2.252 billion shares valued at N58.831 billion traded in 63,657 deals in the preceding week.

Wema Bank, Secure Electronic Technology, and Access Holdings were the busiest equities during the week with the sale of 1.437 billion units valued at N15.406 billion in 5,292 deals, contributing 45.89 per cent and 20.13 per cent to the total trading volume and value, respectively.

In the week, financial stocks dominated the activity chart with 2.336 billion units worth N33.014 billion in 27,100 deals, contributing 74.59 per cent and 43.13 per cent to the total trading volume and value, respectively.

Services shares recorded 284.988 million units valued at N807.646 million in 4,638 deals, and consumer goods equities sold 139.010 million units for N5.704 billion in 6,469 deals.

Business Post reports that 44 stocks appreciated in the period under review versus 33 stocks of the preceding week, 44 equities also depreciated last week compared with the previous week’s 57 equities, and 64 shares closed flat, in contrast to the 62 shares recorded a week earlier.

SCOA Nigeria gained 59.68 per cent to trade at N3.96, UPDC appreciated by 19.05 per cent to N2.00, Coronation Insurance rose by 15.32 per cent to N2.56, Royal Exchange leapt by 14.61 per cent to N1.02, and DAAR Communications expanded by 13.51 per cent to 84 Kobo.

On the flip side, Sunu Assurances depleted by 25.11 per cent to N5.01, Eunisell lost 18.95 per cent to close at N12.66, John Holt went down by 18.47 per cent to N8.30, Abbey Mortgage Bank slumped by 14.60 per cent to N3.10, and Cornerstone Insurance depreciated by 14.29 per cent to N3.48.

After the five-day trading week, the All-Share Index (ASI) and the market capitalisation appreciated by 1.22 per cent and 1.26 per cent, respectively to 103,598.30 points and N63.645 trillion.

In the same vein, all other indices finished higher apart from the insurance, consumer goods, energy and sovereign bond indices, which depreciated by 1.20 per cent, 1.20 per cent, 0.93 per cent and 0.10 per cent, respectively while the ASeM index closed flat.

Economy

Stock Market Grows 0.79% as Investors Buy Guinness Nigeria, Others

Published

2 days ago

25/01/2025

Dipo Olowookere

By Dipo Olowookere

It was a good day for the stock market in Nigeria as it appreciated by 0.79 per cent on Friday to bring the year-to-date return to 0.66 per cent.

This was influenced by renewed interest across most of the sectors of the market, though the insurance index declined by 2.15 per cent when trading activities ended for the session.

Business Post reports that the banking counter appreciated by 1.97 per cent, the consumer goods space grew by 0.70 per cent, the industrial goods sector gained 0.09 per cent, and the energy counter closed flat.

Yesterday, the All-Share Index (ASI) increased by 810.26 points to 103,598.46 points from the preceding day’s 102,788.20 points and the market capitalisation by N497 billion to N63.645 trillion from Thursday’s N63.148 trillion.

Chellaram was the biggest price gainer on Friday after it chalked up 10.00 per cent to trade at N4.07, Guinness Nigeria also appreciated by 10.00 per cent to N77.00, SCOA Nigeria improved by 10.00 per cent to N3.96, Transcorp Power jumped by 7.96 per cent to N349.80, and Lasaco Assurance went up by 7.19 per cent to N3.28.

Conversely, Neimeth was the biggest price loser as it shed 9.88 per cent to N3.10, John Holt declined by 9.78 per cent to N8.30, International Energy Insurance depleted by 9.74 per cent to N1.76, Sovereign Trust Insurance fell by 9.40 per cent to N1.06, and Austin Laz lost 9.00 per cent to close at N1.82.

As for the activity chart, a total of 576.4 million stocks valued at N9.0 billion in 11,546 deals compared with the 394.4 million stocks worth N22.8 billion traded in 12,160 deals in the preceding session, indicating a rise in the trading volume by 46.15 per cent, and a decline in the trading value and number of deals by 60.53 per cent and 5.05 per cent.

Secure Electronic Technology was the busiest equity with 202.2 million units worth N151.8 million, Nigerian Breweries traded 42.1 million units valued at N1.3 billion, Japaul exchanged 34.6 million units for N79.7 million, Access Holdings sold 32.2 million units valued at N807.0 million, and Sovereign Trust Insurance traded 17.0 million units worth N18.3 million.

Economy

Nigeria’s OTC Exchange Jumps 0.42%

Published

2 days ago

25/01/2025

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange recorded a 0.42 per cent gain on Friday, January 24 after three equities ended on the advancers’ chart at the close of business.

Nipco Plc gained N15.01 during the trading day to close at N165.11 per share versus N150.10 per share of the preceding session, Okitipupa Plc added N4.79 to end the session at N52.69 per unit compared with Thursday’s trading value of N47.90 per unit, and Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc expanded by 80 Kobo to trade at N24.00 per share, in contrast to the N23.30 per share it was sold a day earlier.

The gains recorded by these stocks pushed the value of the bourse higher by NN7.41 billion to N1.775 trillion from the N1.767 trillion recorded in the preceding session and the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) grew by 6.93 points to wrap the session at 3,133.20 points compared with 3,120.13 points recorded in the previous session.

Yesterday, the price of FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc went down by 92 Kobo to end the session at N38.58 per share, in contrast to the previous day’s N39.50 per share.

The volume of securities traded in the session decreased on Friday by 95.9 per cent to 16.3 million units from 407.4 million units, the value of shares traded yesterday slumped by 97.4 per cent to N10.2 million from N391.2 million units, and the number of deals declined by 23.3 per cent to 23 deals from 30 deals.

Impresit Bakolori Plc was the most active stock by value (year-to-date) with 406.5 million units worth N386.1 million, followed by FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc with 4.3 million units valued at N170.4 million, and Geo-Fluids Plc with 9.1 million units sold for N44.3 million.

Impresit Bakolori Plc was also the most active stock by volume (year-to-date) with 406.5 million units worth N386.1 million, trailed by Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) Plc with 26.3 million units sold for N6.3 million, and Geo-Fluids Plc with 9.2 million units valued at N44.3 million.