Economy

June Inflation to Drop to 15.64% from 16.25%—FSDH

Published

7 years ago

06/07/2017

By Dipo Olowookere

A new report by FSDH Research has predicted that inflation rate for the month of June 2017 will drop further to 15.64 percent from 16.25 percent in the month of May.

Last month, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that inflation for May deflated to 16.25 percent from 17.24 percent in April 2017.

FSDH Research, in its report released on Thursday titled Inflation Watch, it observed that the increase in the price of food items moderated in the month of June compared with May 2017.

“We also observed increases in some divisions that contribute to the Core Sub-Index, with the highest price observed in the clothing and footwear divisions.

“Based on the data release calendar on the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) website, we expect the NBS to release the inflation rate for the month of June 2017 on July 17, 2017,” the report said.

It was noted that the monthly Food Price Index (FPI) that the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) released today shows that the Index advanced further in June 2017.

The Index averaged 175.2 points, 1.43 percent higher than the revised value for May 2017, and 6.89% higher than the June 2016 figure. Movement in the food prices were in varying directions. Dairy, cereal and meat prices were mostly responsible for the uptick in the value of the Index while sugar and oil prices depreciated.

The FAO Dairy Price Index appreciated by 8.26 percent in June 2017. Prices of all dairy products which include milk powders, cheese and butter appreciated significantly during the period.

The FAO Cereal Price Index gained 4.21 percent from the previous month, representing a one-year high. Wheat and rice prices firmed up and were primarily responsible for the uptick in the value of the Index.

The FAO Meat Index was up by 1.85 percent on the backdrop of generally higher prices as import demand strengthened.

On the flip side, the FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index was down by 3.88 percent, driven by falling quotations for both palm and soy oils.

Good production prospects and bumper harvests contributed to the fall in prices. The Sugar Price Index dropped by 13.45 percent in June 2017 on the heels of weak global import demand and improved supply conditions in the main sugar producing regions in Brazil.

In addition, analysts at FSDH Research said, “Our analysis indicates that the value of the Naira depreciated at the inter-bank market while it appreciated at the parallel market.”

The Naira lost 0.16 percent to close at N305.90/$ at the inter-bank market while it gained 2.96 percent to close at N371/$ at the parallel market at the end of June 2017. The appreciation of the Naira in the parallel market is expected to counter the effect of the rising prices of food at the international market.

Hence, this should lead to a moderation in the pass through effect of imported prices on consumer goods in Nigeria, the report noted.

It pointed out that there was a general price increase in most of the food items that FSDH Research monitored in June 2017.

The prices of onions, yam, tomatoes, garri, sweet potatoes, palm oil, vegetable oil, Irish potatoes and rice were up by 33.89 percent, 24.6 percent, 11.11 percent, 6.67 percent, 4.76 percent, 4.62 percent, 3.03 percent, 2.96 percent and 2.69 percent respectively.

Meanwhile, the prices of beans, meat and fish were stable. The movement in the prices of food items during the month resulted in 1.25 percent increase in our Food and Non-Alcoholic Index to 243.34 points.

“We also noticed increase in the prices of Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels divisions between May 2017 and June 2017.

“Our model indicates that the general price movements in the consumer goods and services in June 2017 would increase the Composite Consumer Price Index (CCPI) to 233.25 points, representing a month-on-month increase of 1.18 percent.

“We estimate that the increase in the CCPI in June 2017 would produce an inflation rate of 15.64 percent lower than the 16.25 percent recorded in May 2017,” the report predicted.

Economy

NASD OTC Securities Exchange Closes Flat

Published

1 hour ago

13/12/2024

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange closed flat on Thursday, December 12 after it ended the trading session with no single price gainer or loser.

As a result, the market capitalisation remained unchanged at N1.055 trillion as the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) followed the same route, remaining at 3,012.50 points like the previous trading session.

However, the activity chart witnessed changes as the volume of securities traded at the bourse went down by 92.5 per cent to 447,905 units from the 5.9 million units transacted a day earlier.

In the same vein, the value of securities bought and sold by investors declined by 86.6 per cent to N3.02 million from the N22.5 million recorded in the preceding trading day.

But the number of deals carried out during the session remained unchanged at 21 deals, according to data obtained by Business Post.

When trading activities ended for the day, Geo-Fluids Plc remained the most active stock by volume (year-to-date) with 1.7 billion units sold for N3.9 billion, Okitipupa Plc came next with 752.2 million units valued at N7.8 billion, and Afriland Properties Plc was in third place with 297.5 million units worth N5.3 million.

Also, Aradel Holdings Plc remained the most active stock by value (year-to-date) with 108.7 million units worth N89.2 billion, followed by Okitipupa Plc with 752.2 million units valued at N7.8 billion, and Afriland Properties Plc with 297.5 million units sold for N5.3 billion.

Economy

Naira Firms to N1,534/$1 at NAFEM, Crashes to N1,680/$1 at Black Market

Published

1 hour ago

13/12/2024

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Naira appreciated against the United States Dollar at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) by N14.79 or 0.9 per cent to trade at N1,534.50/$1 compared with the preceding day’s N1,549.29/$1 on Thursday, December 12.

The strengthening of the domestic currency during the trading session was influenced by the introduction of the Electronic Foreign Exchange Matching System (EFEMS) by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The implementation of the forex system comes with diverse implications for all segments of the financial markets that deal with FX, including the rebound in the value of the Naira across markets.

The system instantly reflects data on all FX transactions conducted in the interbank market and approved by the CBN; publication of real-time prices and buy-sell orders data from this system has lent support to the Naira at the official market.

Equally, the local currency improved its value against the British Pound Sterling by N3.91 to wrap the session at N1,954.77/£1 compared with the previous day’s N1,958.65/£1 and against the Euro, the Nigerian currency gained N2.25 to sell for N1,610.41/€1 versus N1,612.66/€1.

However, in the black market, the Naira crashed further against the US Dollar on Thursday by N10 to quote at N1,680/$1 compared with Wednesday’s closing rate of N1,670/$1.

Meanwhile, the cryptocurrency market majorly corrected after earlier gains as US President-elect Donald Trump reiterated his ambition to embrace crypto assets, but a bond market rout dragged risk assets lower.

Mr Trump said, “We’re going to do something great with crypto” while ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange, reiterating his ambition to embrace digital assets in the world’s largest economy and create a strategic bitcoin reserve.

Alongside, the European Central Bank trimmed its benchmark interest rates by 25 basis points and in its dovish policy statement hinted that more rate cuts were likely to happen.

The biggest loss was made by Cardano (ADA), which fell by 4.9 per cent to trade at $1.10, followed by Ripple (XRP), which slid by 4.1 per cent to $2.33 and Dogecoin (DOGE) recorded a value depreciation of 2.9 per cent to sell at $0.4064.

Further, Solana (SOL) slumped by 1.8 per cent to $225.89, Binance Coin (BNB) slipped by 1.3 per cent to $746.92, Bitcoin (BTC) declined by 0.6 per cent to $99,998.18, Ethereum (ETH) crumbled by 0.5 per cent to $3,909.43, and Litecoin (LTC) dipped by 0.3 per cent to $121.52, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) remained unchanged at $1.00 each.

Economy

Oil Market Falls on Expected Increase in Supply Surplus

Published

3 hours ago

13/12/2024

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

The oil market slumped on Thursday, pressured by an expected increase in supply, supported by rising expectations of a Federal Reserve interest rate cut.

The International Energy Agency (EIA) made a slight upward revision to its demand outlook for next year but still expected the oil market to be comfortably supplied, with Brent crude futures losing 11 cents or 0.15 per cent to trade at $73.41 per barrel and the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures declining by 27 cents or 0.38 per cent to finish at $70.02 per barrel.

The IEA in its monthly oil market report increased its 2025 global oil demand growth forecast to 1.1 million barrels per day from 990,000 barrels per day last month, largely in Asian countries due to the impact of China’s recent stimulus measures.

At the same time, the IEA expects nations not in the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and Allies (OPEC+) group to boost supply by about 1.5 million barrels per day next year, driven by the US, Canada, Guyana, Brazil and Argentina – more than the rate of demand growth.

On Wednesday, OPEC cut its demand growth forecast for 2024 for the fifth straight month.

The IEA said that, even excluding the return to higher output quotas, its current outlook is to a 950,000 barrels per day supply overhang next year, which is almost 1 per cent of the world’s supply.

The Paris-based agency said this would rise to 1.4 million barrels per day if OPEC+ goes ahead with its plan to start unwinding cuts from the end of next March.

Next year’s surplus could make it harder for OPEC+ to bring back production. The hike was earlier due to start in October 2024, but OPEC+ has delayed it amid falling prices.

Meanwhile, inflation rose slightly in November increasing the possibility of a US Federal Reserve rates cut again as the data fed optimism about economic growth and energy demand.

Support also came as crude imports in China grew annually for the first time in seven months in November, up more than 14 per cent from a year earlier.