Economy
Is Equity Market Rally Sustainable?
The performance of the Nigerian equity market as measured by The Nigerian Stock Exchange All Share Index (NSE ASI) has been impressive since the beginning of the year 2017.
As at the close of trading on July 27, 2017, the NSE ASI had appreciated by 38.59 percent Year-to-Date (YTD).
A review of the performance of 15 major equity market indices in other countries shows that the NSE ASI recorded the best performance of 37 percent as at July 26, 2017, closely followed by GSE All Share Index (Ghana) at 34 percent.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its World Economic Outlook (WEO) Update July 2017 edition, states that equity prices in advanced economies remain strong, and are showing continued market confidence about company earnings.
It notes that markets are also optimistic about emerging market prospects as reflected in strengthening equity markets and some further compression of interest rate spreads.
It however cautions that oil exporters provide an exception to this pattern, because of the dwindling oil prices since March 2017.
The big question in the minds of investors and equity market analysts is if the strong growth in the equity market since April 2017 is sustainable or if there is a bubble waiting to burst.
Our review of the Price to Earnings (P/E) multiples of the top 10 most capitalised stocks on The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) as at July 27, 2017 shows that the companies traded at higher P/E multiples in July 2017 than in July 2016 and in July 2015.
The average P/E multiple for the companies increased from 11.46x in July 2015 to 12.25x in July 2016 and to 27.06x July 27, 2017.
Nestle recorded the highest P/E multiple of 78.87x in July 2017 and 34.91x in July 2015 while Nigerian Breweries recorded the highest P/E multiple in 2016 at 30.7x.
Although a high P/E multiple may indicate that investors believe in the future earnings growth of the company, the current trend in the market shows that stocks are trading far higher than the historical level and a possible correction may be imminent.
The monthly analysis of the NSE ASI shows that the equity market rally started in April 2017. The equity market appreciated between April and July 27, 2017 by 45 percent while it depreciated by 4.15 percent between December 2016 and April 2017.
The equity market followed similar trend between April and June in 2016 and 2017. The equity market recorded negative performance both in January and February 2017 at 3.12 percent and 2.72 percent respectively, with investors’ outlook that 2017 might be another bad year for equity market investment.
However, the fortune of the market changed in March 2017 with a month on month appreciation of 0.74 percent, April 0.95 percent, May 15 percent, June 12 percent, and 12 percent as at July 27, 2017.
YTD, the top gainers in the equity market as at July 27, 2017 are: May & Baker 245.74 percent; Fidson Healthcare 172.66 percent; Stanbic IBTC Holdings 150.00 percent; UBA 124.44 percent; Beta Glass 99.01 percent; Cement Company of Northern Nigeria 94 percent; Airline Services 91.20 percent; Okomu Oil 85.24 percent; FBN Holdings 78.21 percent; and Presco 77.06 percent.
Some notable factors that are responsible for the market rally are: improved business and consumers’ confidence in the economy, consistent improvement in the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), stability in the foreign exchange market leading to the inflow of foreign investors, particularly with the establishment of the Investors and Exporters’ Foreign Exchange Window and the prospect of improvement in corporate earnings.
While we note that the improvement in the macroeconomic environment in the last few months has sustained the rally in the equity market, we think profit taking is imminent on a few stocks that have recorded strong appreciation in their share prices.
By Dipo Olowookere
The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited witnessed Santa Claus rally on Wednesday after it closed higher by 0.12 per cent.
Strong demand for Nigerian stocks lifted the All-Share Index (ASI) by 185.70 points during the pre-Christmas trading session to 153,539.83 points from 153,354.13 points.
In the same vein, the market capitalisation expanded at midweek by N118 billion to N97.890 trillion from the preceding day’s N97.772 trillion.
Investor sentiment on Customs Street remained bullish after closing with 36 appreciating equities and 22 depreciating equities, indicating a positive market breadth index.
Guinness Nigeria chalked up 9.98 per cent to trade at N318.60, Austin Laz improved by 9.97 per cent to N3.20, International Breweries expanded by 9.85 per cent to N14.50, Transcorp Hotels rose by 9.83 per cent to N170.90, and Aluminium Extrusion grew by 9.73 per cent to N16.35.
On the flip side, Legend Internet lost 9.26 per cent to close at N4.90, AXA Mansard shrank by 7.14 per cent to N13.00, Jaiz Bank declined by 5.45 per cent to N4.51, MTN Nigeria weakened by 5.21 per cent to N504.00, and NEM Insurance crashed by 4.74 per cent to N24.10.
Yesterday, a total of 1.8 billion shares valued at N30.1 billion exchanged hands in 19,372 deals versus the 677.4 billion shares worth N20.8 billion traded in 27,589 deals in the previous session, implying a slump in the number of deals by 29.78 per cent, and a surge in the trading volume and value by 165.72 per cent and 44.71 per cent apiece.
Abbey Mortgage Bank was the most active equity for the day after it sold 1.1 billion units worth N7.1 billion, Sterling Holdings traded 127.1 million units valued at N895.9 million, Custodian Investment exchanged 115.0 million units for N4.5 billion, First Holdco transacted 40.9 million units valued at N2.2 billion, and Access Holdings traded 38.2 million units worth N783.3 million.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigerian food and beverage company, Rite Foods Limited, has extended warm Yuletide greetings to Nigerians as families and communities worldwide come together to celebrate the Christmas season and usher in a new year filled with hope and renewed possibilities.
In a statement, Rite Foods encouraged consumers to savour these special occasions with its wide range of quality brands, including the 13 variants of Bigi Carbonated Soft Drinks, premium Bigi Table Water, Sosa Fruit Drink in its refreshing flavours, the Fearless Energy Drink, and its tasty sausage rolls — all produced in a world-class facility with modern technology and global best practices.
Speaking on the season, the Managing Director of Rite Foods Limited, Mr Seleem Adegunwa, said the company remains deeply committed to enriching the lives of consumers beyond refreshment. According to him, the Yuletide period underscores the values of generosity, unity, and gratitude, which resonate strongly with the company’s philosophy.
“Christmas is a season that reminds us of the importance of giving, togetherness, and gratitude. At Rite Foods, we are thankful for the continued trust of Nigerians in our brands. This season strengthens our resolve to consistently deliver quality products that bring joy to everyday moments while contributing positively to society,” Mr Adegunwa stated.
He noted that the company’s steady progress in brand acceptance, operational excellence, and responsible business practices reflects a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and responsiveness to consumer needs. These efforts, he said, have further strengthened Rite Foods’ position as a proudly Nigerian brand with growing relevance and impact across the country.
Mr Adegunwa reaffirmed that Rite Foods will continue to invest in research and development, efficient production processes, and initiatives that support communities, while maintaining quality standards across its product portfolio.
“As the year comes to a close, Rite Foods Limited wishes Nigerians a joyful Christmas celebration and a prosperous New Year filled with peace, progress, and shared success.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Naira closed the pre-Christmas trading day positive after it gained N6.61 or 0.46 per cent against the US Dollar in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) on Wednesday, December 24, trading at N1,443.38/$1 compared with the previous day’s N1,449.99/$1.
Equally, the Naira appreciated against the Pound Sterling in the same market segment by N1.30 to close at N1,949.57/£1 versus Tuesday’s closing price of N1,956.03/£1 and gained N2.94 on the Euro to finish at N1,701.31/€1 compared with the preceding day’s N1,707.65/€1.
At the parallel market, the local currency maintained stability against the greenback yesterday at N1,485/$1 and also traded flat at the GTBank forex counter at N1,465/$1.
Further support came as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) funded international payments with additional $150 million sales to banks and authorised dealers at the official window.
This helped eased pressure on the local currency, reflecting a steep increase in imports. Market participants saw a sequence of exchange rate swings amidst limited FX inflows.
Last week, the apex bank led the pack in terms of FX supply into the market as total inflows fell by about 50 per cent week on week from $1.46 billion in the previous week.
Foreign portfolio investors’ inflows ranked behind exporters and the CBN supply, but there was support from non-bank corporate Dollar volume.
As for the cryptocurrency market, it witnessed a slight recovery as tokens struggled to attract either risk-on enthusiasm or defensive flows.
The inertia follows a sharp reversal earlier in the quarter. A heavy selloff in October pulled Bitcoin and other coins down from record levels, leaving BTC roughly down by 30 per cent since that period and on track for its weakest quarterly performance since the second quarter of 2022. But on Wednesday, its value went up by 0.9 per cent to $87,727.35.
Further, Ripple (XRP) appreciated by 1.7 per cent to $1.87, Cardano (ADA) expanded by 1.2 per cent to $0.3602, Dogecoin (DOGE) grew by 1.1 per cent to $0.1282, Litecoin (LTC) also increased by 1.1 per cent to $76.57, Solana (SOL) soared by 1.0 per cent to $122.31, Binance Coin (BNB) rose by 0.6 per cent to $842.37, and Ethereum (ETH) added 0.3 per cent to finish at $2,938.83, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) remained unchanged at $1.00 each.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism9 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking8 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn