Economy
FG Raises N7b from Savings Bond in 10 Months
By Leadership
The federal government has raised a total sum of N7.3 billion in the past 10 months from its savings bond introduced in March 2017 to boost domestic investors’ participation in the bond market.
The government, this year, planned to use the savings bond to finance the budget deficit but investors’ appetite for investment in the savings bond diminished in the fourth quarter of 2017.
The December allotment figure shows that N246.41 million had been raised, which is the lowest savings bond the Debt Management Office (DMO) generated this year over drop in coupon rate.
Analysts attributed the drop in savings bond coupon to improved macro economy.
Managing Director of Highcap Securities Limited, Mr David Adnori said, “The savings bond coupon rate dropped due to improvement in macro economy as interest rate is on decline in the economy. Rates on bonds and Treasury Bills (T-Bills) are all declining”.
The coupon rate allocated were 11.738 per cent for FGNSB DEC 2019, which is a two-year bond and 12.738 per cent for FGNSB DEC 2020, representing a three-year bond.
For November allotment, the figures show that N256 million had been raised through 12.091 per cent (FGNSB NOV 2019) two-year bond and 13.091 per cent (FGNSB NOV 2020) three-year bond.
Subscription in November was the second lowest as investors’ appetite started dropping.
Before November and December, the average coupon rate on FG’s savings bond was pegged at an average 12 per cent to 13 per cent, with a two-year and three -year bonds.
In October, the saving bond allotment dropped by 5.6 per cent to N389.19 million from N412.7 billion, following the slowdown in coupon rates.
The coupon rate assigned to a FGNSB OCT 2019 and FGNSB OCT 2020 in October was at 12.059 per cent and 13.059 per cent respectively, while in September, the coupon rate was at 13.817 per cent (FGNSB SEP 2019) and 14.817 per cent (FGNSB SEP 2020)respectively.
Before the last quarter of 2017, there was increased participation at the debt market in the first quarter as demand for T- Bills, FGN Bonds and the Savings bond increased relative to supply.
Specifically, in March the debt office had raised N2.068 billion from the 13.01 per cent two years debt with 2,575 total number of successful subscriptions.
According to LEADERSHIP findings, data from Debt Management Office (DMO) showed that the initial auction of the savings bond still had the largest participation in the first quarter and started dropping in the second and third quarter.
At the end of first quarter in April, DMO raised N1,288.02 billion that comprises of N419.33million and N868.69 million for a 12.794 per cent and 13.794 per cent, two- year and three-year savings bond respectively.
In May, it raised N791.15 billion with yields rising to 13.189 per cent for the two-year paper and 14.189 per cent for the three-year allotment.
The yield remained the same in June but the amount raised dropped to N607.26 million.
However, an increased yield failed to spike interest in July, as only N400.57 million was raised from the two-year and three-year paper, although the yield for the papers were raised to 13.386 and 14.836 per cents respectively.
By August, investors’ interest in the savings bond increased along with the yield offered.
The two-year bond was offered at 13.535 per cent, while the three-year Savings bond was offered at 14.535 per cent, just as the DMO was able to raise N738.14 million through the Savings Bond.
Analysts maintained that many retail investors traded with caution following the yuletide celebration, while some diverted funds to the equity market, foreign exchange market, as yield on savings bond and T-Bills are not attractive.
By Dipo Olowookere
About 0.04 per cent was recovered on Friday from the loss recorded by the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) the previous due to profit-taking.
Yesterday, investors were in the market with renewed vigour, mopping up stocks trading at relatively cheaper prices.
According to data, the insurance counter gained 0.41 per cent, the banking sector appreciated by 0.38 per cent, and the consumer goods index grew by 0.14 per cent.
The gains achieved by these three sectors were enough to lift Customs Street at the close of business despite the 0.26 per cent decline printed by the industrial goods segment and the 0.14 per cent loss suffered by the energy industry. The commodity counter was flat during the session.
A total of 43 equities gained weight on the last trading day of this week, while 26 equities shed weight, indicating a positive market breadth index and strong investor sentiment.
Red Star Express increased its share price by 10.00 per cent to N13.20, NCR Nigeria grew by 9.97 per cent to N128.55, SCOA Nigeria inflated by 9.96 per cent to N14.90, Omatek appreciated by 9.94 per cent to N1.77, and Deap Capital expanded by 9.85 per cent to N4.46.
On the flip side, McNichols decreased by 8.81 per cent to N6.00, Legend Internet crumbled by 7.56 per cent to N5.50, Cornerstone Insurance crashed by 6.48 per cent to N6.35, C&I Leasing contracted by 6.29 per cent to N8.20, and Austin Laz slipped by 5.78 per cent to N3.75.
Yesterday, 539.9 million shares valued at N16.7 billion were transacted in 48,023 deals versus the 1.0 billion shares worth N31.6 billion executed in 51,227 deals in the preceding day, implying a shrink in the trading volume, value, and number of deals by 46.01 per cent, 47.15 per cent, and 6.26 per cent apiece.
Zenith Bank was the most active for the day with 54.6 million stocks sold for N3.8 billion, Jaiz Bank traded 41.5 million units worth N359.4 million, Secure Electronic Technology transacted 37.7 million units valued at N39.2 million, Access Holdings exchanged 30.5 million units for N699.2 million, and Lasaco Assurance transacted 27.2 million units worth N68.3 million.
When the market closed for the day, the All-Share Index (ASI) went up by 72.21 points to 166,129.50 points from 166,057.29 points and the market capitalisation gained N31 billion to N106.354 trillion from N106.323 trillion.
By Adedapo Adesanya
It was a positive ending for the Naira this week after it further appreciated against the US Dollar in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEX) on Friday, January 16 by N1.33 or 0.09 per cent to sell for N1,417.95/$1 compared with the previous day’s N1,419.28/$1.
The domestic currency also gained N2.41 against the Euro in the official market to close at N1,647.51/€1 versus the preceding session’s closing price of N1,649.92/€1, however, it suffered a N7.97 loss against the Pound Sterling in the same market window to trade at N1,901.32/£1, in contrast to Thursday’s closing price of N1,893.35/£1.
In the same vein, the Nigerian Naira depleted against the Dollar at the GTBank FX counter by N2 to quote at N1,427/$1 compared with the previous day’s N1,425/$1, but strengthened against the greenback at the black market yesterday by N5 to settle at N1,485/$1 versus the N1,490/$1 it was exchanged a day earlier.
Improved supply conditions helped keep the market within range as exporters’ and importers’ inflows in addition to non-bank corporate supply enhanced liquidity as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) made no visible intervention.
Stronger external inflows from foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) and improving current account dynamics, continue to align with structural support in the wider economy.
Nigeria has seen projections of a stronger economic or gross domestic product (GDP) growth and lower inflation in 2026, with these forecasts citing improved macroeconomic fundamentals and reform impacts.
As for the cryptocurrency market, it was mixed following selloff in precious metals and lower US stocks appeared to be denting crypto sentiment.
Gold and silver, both of which also enjoyed big rallies earlier this week, tumbled 1.2 per cent and 5 per cent, respectively while key US stock indexes — the Nasdaq, S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average — all reversed from early gains to modest losses in Friday trade.
Dogecoin (DOGE) shrank by 2.2 per cent to $0.1370, Ripple (XRP) slipped by 0.8 per cent to $2.05, Ethereum (ETH) went down by 0.7 per cent to $3,228.56, and Bitcoin (BTC) slumped by 0.6 per cent to $95,086.80.
Conversely, Litecoin (LTC) appreciated by 3.2 per cent to $74.48, Solana (SOL) rose by 0.4 per cent to $143.70, Cardano (ADA) jumped by 0.2 per cent to $0.3942, and Binance Coin (BNB) increased by 0.1 per cent to $935.88, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) remained unchanged at $1.00 each.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Oil prices settled higher amid lingering worries about a possible US military strike against Iran, a decision that may still occur over the weekend.
Brent crude settled at $64.13 a barrel after going up by 37 cents or 0.58 per cent and the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude finished at $59.44 a barrel after it gained 25 cents or 0.42 per cent.
The US Navy’s aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln was expected to arrive in the Persian Gulf next week after operating in the South China Sea.
Market analysts noted that it doesn’t seem likely anything will happen soon. However, the weekends have become the perfect time for actions so as not offset the markets.
The market had risen after protests flared up in Iran and US President Donald Trump signalled the potential for military strikes, but lost over 4 per cent on Thursday as the American president said Iran’s crackdown on the protesters was easing, allaying concerns of possible military action that could disrupt oil supplies.
Iran produces approximately 3.2 million barrels per day, accounting for roughly 4 per cent of global crude production, so it was not a coincidence that markets rallied sharply through Tuesday and Wednesday as President Trump canceled meetings with Iranian officials and posted that “help is on its way” to Iranian protesters, raising fears of potential US military strikes that sent prices surging toward multi-month highs.
Weighing against those fears are potential supply increases from Venezuela.
The Trump administration is exploring plans to swap heavy Venezuelan crude for US medium sour barrels that can actually go straight into Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) caverns, since not all all oil belongs in the reserve.
According to Reuters, the Department of Energy is considering moving Venezuelan heavy crude into commercial storage at the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, while US producers deliver medium sour crude into the SPR in exchange.
Analysts expect higher supply this year, potentially creating a ceiling for the geopolitical risk premium on prices.
Some investors covered short positions ahead of the three-day Martin Luther King holiday weekend in the US.
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