Connect with us

Economy

FMDQ Introduces Settlement Platform for Fixed Income Market

Published

on

By Dipo Olowookere

A new platform aimed to boost confidence of investors in the nation’s financial markets has been introduced by the management of FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange.

The new platform, called the FMDQ’s Q-ex, is a customised fully-integrated multiasset trading system with attendant post-trade services capabilities.

The FMDQ’s Q-ex has been integrated with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s Scripless Securities Settlement System (S4) to provide Straight-through-Processing (STP) capabilities for efficient settlement in the fixed income market, improving the efficiency of the trading, reporting and settlement processes, whilst further developing, in no small measure, the Nigerian financial markets.

Business Post reports that the platform had the inputs of the CBN, FMDQ and the Financial Markets Dealers’ Association (FMDA), the association of FMDQ Dealing Member (Banks).

It was successfully deployed on Friday, June 8, 2018. The FMDQ’s Q-ex provides an unrivalled means through which trades executed by its Members (currently the Dealing Member (Banks), are reported and subsequently settled, with minimal to no human intervention, via the respective channels.

The deployment of the FMDQ Q-ex Settlement Solution operated by FMDQ Clear Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of FMDQ, will essentially streamline business processes to reduce friction along the fixed income trades settlement value-chain, boost productivity of the market participants and promote efficiency of post-trade services.

It can be argued that the Nigerian fixed income market has not been performing at its optimum, as the market has been marked with bouts of low productivity, inefficiency and invariably, settlement defaults, all of which would likely have marred the market’s integrity and significantly lowered investor confidence.

With integrity being one of the key ingredients for a successful market, as adjudged by global counterparts, the achievement of STP in the fixed income market via the integration of Q-ex and the CBN’s S4 could not have come a moment too soon, as this integration sets a clear and certain path for market-wide confidence in the Nigerian fixed income settlement processes, and by extension, the fixed income market, to be restored.

The integration also makes possible, unparalleled visibility and transparency of the post-trade workflow (settlement obligations, reconciliations etc.) amongst FMDQ Members and their trading counterparties – another must for a successful market.

From informing the customisation of its applications and systems to allowing for seamless and robust integration to Q-ex, the CBN has again demonstrated its progressiveness and affirmed its interest in re-engineering the Nigerian financial markets towards achieving global competitiveness.

This is highly commendable, and the market applauds the CBN for its market development initiatives. On the other hand, also key to the success of this initiative, has been the FMDA, who has provided an avenue for market engagements, ensuring effective and value-adding communication with FMDQ and has remained dogged in its desire to see through the delivery of an automated clearing and settlement process that works for the market.

Managing Director of FMDQ, Mr Bola Onadele Koko, explained that the, “Development of FMDQ’s Q-ex and its subsequent linkage to the CBN’s S4 is one of the key medium- to long-term initiatives of FMDQ, aimed at making the Nigerian financial market operationally excellent – delivering on the “O” in FMDQ’s GOLD Agenda.”

With the continued collective efforts of the CBN, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and indeed, other key regulators and stakeholders, FMDQ says it is confident that the potential of the nation’s domestic markets, acting as a catalyst to propel economic growth, shall be realised.

“To build and sustain a well-functioning market, it is hoped that all hands remain on deck even as FMDQ continues to re-affirm its commitment to promote a world-class financial market operating in alignment with international best practices,” Mr Koko added.

Dipo Olowookere is a journalist based in Nigeria that has passion for reporting business news stories. At his leisure time, he watches football and supports 3SC of Ibadan. Mr Olowookere can be reached via [email protected]

Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Economy

Food Concepts Return NASD OTC Exchange to Danger Zone

Published

on

NASD OTC exchange

By Adedapo Adesanya

Food Concepts Plc neutralized the gains recorded by three securities, returning the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange into the negative territory with a 0.27 per cent loss on Thursday, December 4.

Yesterday, the share price of the parent company of Chicken Republic and PieXpress declined by 34 Kobo to sell at N3.15 per unit compared with the previous day’s N3.49 per unit.

This shrank the market capitalisation of the OTC bourse by N5.72 billion to N2.136 billion from N2.142 trillion and weakened the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) by 9.57 points to 3,571.53 points from 3,581.10 points.

Business Post reports that Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc went down by 50 Kobo to N38.50 per share from N38.00 per share, FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc gained 29 Kobo to sell at N55.79 per unit versus N55.50 per unit, and Geo-Fluids Plc added 5 Kobo to close at N4.60 per share compared with Wednesday’s closing price of N4.55 per share.

Trading data indicated that the volume of securities recorded at the session surged by 6,885.3 per cent to 4.3 million units from the 61,570 units posted a day earlier, the value of securities increased by 10,301.7 per cent to N947.2 million from N3.3 million, and the number of deals went up by 146.7 per cent to 37 deals from the 15 deals achieved in the previous trading session.

At the close of business, Infrastructure Credit Guarantee Company (InfraCredit) Plc was the most traded stock by value on a year-to-date basis with the sale of 5.8 billion units for N16.4 billion, trailed by Okitipupa Plc with 170.4 million units worth N8.0 billion, and Air Liquide Plc with 507.5 million units valued at N4.2 billion.

InfraCredit Plc also finished the session as the most traded stock by volume on a year-to-date basis with 5.8 billion units transacted for N16.4 billion, followed by Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) Plc with 1.2 billion units sold for N420.2 million, and Impresit Bakolori Plc with 536.9 million units traded for N524.9 million.

Continue Reading

Economy

Investors Gain N97bn from Local Equity Market

Published

on

Nigerian equity market

By Dipo Olowookere

The upward trend witnessed at the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited in recent sessions continued on Thursday as it further improved by 0.10 per cent.

This was despite investor sentiment turning bearish after the local equity market ended with 23 price gainers and 28 price gainers, indicating a negative market breadth index.

UAC Nigeria gained 10.00 per cent to finish at N88.00, Morison Industries appreciated by 9.94 per cent to N3.54, Ecobank rose by 8.53 per cent to N36.90, and Coronation Insurance grew by 8.47 per cent to N2.56.

On the flip side, Ellah Lakes depreciated by 10.00 per cent to N13.14, Eunisell Nigeria also shed 10.00 per cent to finish at N72.90, Transcorp Hotels slipped by 9.95 per cent to N157.50, Omatek shrank by 9.23 per cent to N1.18, and Guinea Insurance dipped by 8.46 per cent to N1.19.

Yesterday, the All-Share Index (ASI) went up by 152.28 points to 145,476.15 points from 145,323.87 points and the market capitalisation chalked up N97 billion to finish at N92.726 trillion compared with the previous day’s N92.629 trillion.

Customs Street was bubbling with activities on Thursday, though the trading volume and value slightly went down, according to data.

A total of 1.9 billion stocks worth N19.2 billion exchanged hands in 23,369 deals during the session versus the N2.3 billion valued at N21.0 billion traded in 21,513 deals a day earlier.

This showed that the number of deals increased by 8.63 per cent, the volume of transactions depleted by 17.39 per cent, and the value of trades decreased by 8.57 per cent.

For another trading day, eTranzact led the activity chart with 1.6 billion units sold for N6.4 billion, Fidelity Bank traded 31.0 million units worth N589.3 million, GTCO exchanged 28.3 million units valued at N2.5 billion, Zenith Bank transacted 27.1 million units for N1.6 billion, and Ecobank traded 21.9 million units worth N744.3 million.

Continue Reading

Economy

Naira Loses 18 Kobo Against Dollar at Official Market, N5 at Black Market

Published

on

forex Black Market

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Naira marginally depreciated against the United States Dollar in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) on Thursday, December 4 amid renewed forex pressure associated with December.

At the official market yesterday, the Nigerian currency lost 0.01 per cent or 18 Kobo against the Dollar to close at N1,447.83/$1 compared with the previous day’s N1,447.65/$1.

It was not a different scenario with the local currency in the same market segment against the Pound Sterling as it further shed N15.43 to sell for N1,930.97/£1 versus Wednesday’s closing price of N1,925.08/£1 and declined against the Euro by 20 Kobo to finish at N1,688.74/€1 compared with the preceding session’s N1,688.54/€1.

Similarly, the Nigerian Naira lost N5 against the greenback in the black market to quote at N1,465/$1 compared with the previous day’s value of N1,460/$1 but closed flat against the Dollar at the GTBank FX counter at N1,453/$1.

Fluctuations in trading range is expected to continue during the festive season as traders expect the Nigerian currency to be stable, supported by intervention s by to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)in the face of steady dollar demand.

Support is also expected in coming weeks as seasonal activities, particularly the stylised “Detty December” festivities, will see inflows that will give the Naira a boost after it depreciated mildly last month, according to a new report.

“As the festive Detty December season intensifies, inbound travel, tourism spending, and diaspora inflows are expected to provide moderate support for FX liquidity,” analysts at the research unit of FMDA said in its latest monthly report for November.

Traders cited by Reuters expect that the Naira will trade within a band of N1,443-N1,450 next week, buoyed by improved FX interventions by the apex bank.

Meanwhile, the crypto market was down as the US Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, core PCE, likely rose in September—moving in the wrong direction. However, volatility indices show no signs of major turbulence.

If the actual figure matches estimates, it would mark 55 straight months of inflation above the US central bank’s 2 per cent target. The sticky inflation would strengthen the hawkish policymakers, who are in favour of slower rate cuts.

Ripple (XRP) depreciated by 4.5 per cent to $2.08, Solana (SOL) went down by 3.8 per cent to $138.11, Litecoin (LTC) shrank by 3.1 per cent to $83.23, Dogecoin (DOGE) slid by 2.5 per cent to $0.1463, Cardano (ADA) declined by 2.1 per cent to $0.4368, Bitcoin (BTC) fell by 0.9 per cent to $91,975.45, Binance Coin (BNB) crumbled by 0.9 per cent to $899.41, and Ethereum (ETH) dropped by 0.7 per cent to $3,156.44, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) closed flat at $1.00 apiece.

Continue Reading

Trending