Economy
NSE Kicks Out Midland, 89 Others from Capital Market
By Dipo Olowookere
The operating license of Midland Capital Markets Limited has been revoked by authorities at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).
Consequently, the firm was deregistered as a capital market operator in Nigeria by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
The expulsion of Midland Capital Markets Limited has brought to 90 the total number of stockbrokers so far expelled from the market in 2017.
It was gathered that the withdrawal of the company’s license was approved by the stock market regulator’s highest administrative organ, the National Council of the NSE.
With this development, the stockbroking firm will not be able to trade in the Nigerian stock market and other international markets that Nigeria has Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with.
Nigerian capital market authorities have standing bilateral agreements with several other jurisdictions including Morocco, Angola, China, Ghana, Kenya, Malaysia, Mauritius, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda.
With the expulsion, investors who have their investment accounts with the expelled stockbrokers will be required to move their accounts to other functional stockbroking firms.
Also, directors, executives, top management and other employees of Midland Capital Markets Limited will not be able to secure any employment in the capital market without prior clearance and written consent of the Exchange.
Though a regulatory document obtained by The Nation did not give reason for the revocation and expulsion of the stockbroking firm, capital market regulators traditionally apply the highest punishment of expulsion and revocation of licence to serious offences that could undermine investors’ confidence including fraud and inability to meet major operating requirements for the function.
“Dealing members are advised not to engage in any activity with the above mentioned firm. Also, all authorised clerks and employees of dealing member firms are strongly advised against allowing themselves to be used in carrying out activities that are capable of affecting the integrity of the market,” NSE stated.
The Exchange stressed the need for dealing firms to always comply with extant rules and regulations.
Under Rule 6.12 of the Rulebook of the Exchange, 2015, members of the Exchange are disallowed from employing any of directors, authorised clerks or other persons including principal officers such as the chief executive officer, chief finance officer, chief compliance officer and chief risk officer, who have been indicted by the Exchange or the Commission without prior regulatory approval.
Also, the rule disallows other stockbroking firms from employing any person who was an officer or employee of a stockbroking firm or dealing member expelled from the Exchange; any person expelled, as an authorised clerk or its equivalent, from any other exchange; any person refused admission as a member of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers or any person expelled from its membership; any person expelled as a member of any professional association or institute and any person who is insolvent or has been convicted of theft, fraud, forgery, or any other crime involving dishonesty.
The Rulebook of the Exchange 2015 provides that: where the Exchange revokes a dealing member’s licence, the Exchange shall immediately commence the process of expelling such dealing member.
Besides, the rules empower the NSE to suspend any authorised clerk or revoke the registration of any authorised clerk who has breached any rules or regulations of the Exchange or is found to be complicit in any breach of such rules or regulations.
Also, suspension of any stockbroking firm by SEC will lead to immediate suspension by the NSE while revocation of any broker’s registration will lead to expulsion of the firm by the NSE.
“Without prejudice to all the remedies open to the dealing member, where a dealing member is suspended by the Commission, as soon as the Exchange is notified, it shall immediately commence the process of suspension or expulsion of the dealing member.
“Where a Dealing Member’s registration is revoked by the Commission, as soon as the Exchange is notified, it shall immediately commence the process of expulsion of the dealing member,” the rules stated.
The NSE had recently revoked the operating licence and imposed a fine of N582.37 million on a stockbroking firm-Bytofel Securities and Investment Limited, for allegedly engaging in fraudulent activities in the stock market.
Bytofel Securities was expelled for engaging in “unauthorised sales of clients’ shares and misappropriation of clients’ funds”.
The Nation had earlier reported the expulsion of 67 stockbrokers from the master list of dealers at the stock market. A regulatory report had indicated that the expulsion was the final phase of the delisting of the stockbroking firms, after their dealing licences had been revoked by the exchange.
A source at the exchange said the expulsion followed recommendation of the disciplinary committee of the council of the exchange and the final approval of the National Council of the Exchange.
That round of expulsion in May 2017 brought the number of stockbroking firms that had then been expelled from Exchange to 88 stockbroking firms. The Nation had earlier in April 2017 reported the expulsion of 21 stockbroking firms for various infractions ranging from poor capitalisation to unauthorised sales of investors’ shares.
The group of 67 expelled stockbrokers included ATIF Securities Limited, Abacus Securities Limited, ABC Securities Limited, Akitorch Securities Limited, All Wealth Securities Limited, Apex Securities Limited, Asset Plus Securities Limited, Associated Securities Limited, Avon Finance and Securities Limited, Beachgroove Securities & Investments Limited, Broadedge Securities Limited, Bullion Securities Limited, Cardinal Securities Limited, City Investment Management Limited, Comment Finance & Securities Limited, Corporate Trust Limited, Crown Merchant Securities Limited, Dalgo Investment & Trust Limited, Devcom Securities Limited, Devserv Finance & Securities Limited, EBN Securities Limited, Equity securities Limited, Farida Investment and Finance Limited, Gilts and Hedge Finance Limited, Global Investment & Sec Limited, Goldworth Securities Limited, Haggai Investment & Trust Limited, Halsec Finance Limited, HP Securities Limited, Investicon Nigeria Limited, Investment Resources Limited, Island Securities Limited and Jenkins Investments Limited.
Others included Kapital Securities Limited, Lozinger Securities Limited, M&M Securities Limited, M. J Securities & Investment Limited, Majestic Securities Limited, Matrix Capital Management Limited, MBA Securities Limited, MBCOM Securities Limited, Merchant Securities Limited, Metropolitan Trust Nigeria Limited, MMB Securities & Trust Limited, MMG Securities Limited, Nationwide Securities Limited, New Horizons Finance and Investment Limited, Nigbel Securities Limited, Omega Securities Limited, Omnisource International Limited, OpenGate Finance Company Limited, Pacific Securities Limited, Pamal Finance Limited, Peak Securities Limited, Prime Securities Limited, Prudent Stockbrokers Limited, Royal Securities Limited, Source Finance and Trust Company Limited, Supreme Finance & Investment Co. Limited, Synergy and Assets Trust Limited, Thomas Kinsley Securities Limited, Tradestamp Securities Limited, Trust Securities Limited, Unit Trust Securities Limited, Universal Securities Limited, Viva Securities Limited and Wintrust Limited.
Capital market authorities had earlier in the year expelled 21 stockbroking firms including Allbond Investment Limited, Consolidated Investment Limited, Dakal Services Limited, Emi Capital Resources Limited, First Equity Securities Ltd, Ideal Securities Limited, Maninvest Asset Management Plc, Metropolitan Trust Nigeria Limited, Omas Investment & Trust Company Limited, Pennisula Asset Management & Investment Company Limited, Prudential Securities Limited, Securities Trading & Investments Limited, Transglobe Investment & Finance Company Limited, Tropics Securities Limited, Wizetrade Capital & Asset Management Limited, WT Securities Limited, Zuma Securities Limited, Bosson Capital Assets Limited, KFF Worldwide Solutions Limited, Silver & Gold Securities Limited and First Alstate Securities Limited.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange rose by 2.30 per cent, spurring the NASD Security Index (NSI) to close higher by 96.61 points to 4,296.34 points from 4,199.73 points, and raising the market capitalisation by N57.99 billion to N2.578 trillion from N2.521 trillion.
The market was up yesterday despite a lower activity level, as the volume of securities traded slumped by 94.7 per cent to 1.3 million units from the previous 23.9 million units. The value of securities slipped by 57.2 per cent to N29.2 million from the preceding session’s N68.2 million, while the number of deals executed by market participants increased by 6.7 per cent to 32 deals from the 30 deals carried out on Thursday.
At the close of transactions, Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) Plc remained the most traded stock by value on a year-to-date basis, with a turnover of 3.4 billion units worth N8.4 billion, trailed by Infrastructure Credit Guarantee (Infracredit) Plc with 2.3 billion units valued at N6.5 billion in trades, and Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc with 70.8 million units traded for N4.9 billion.
GNI Plc was also the most traded stock by volume on a year-to-date basis, with 3.4 billion units sold for N8.4 billion, followed by Infracredit Plc with 2.3 billion units exchanged for N6.5 billion, and Resourcery Plc with 1.1 billion units transacted for N415.7 million.
During the trading day, there were three price gainers and two price losers, led by Afriland Properties Plc, which shed N1.48 to sell at N15.17 per share compared with the previous session’s N16.65 per share, and Food Concepts Plc, which slid by 7 Kobo to close at N2.69 per unit versus N2.76 per unit.
Conversely, FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc improved its value by N9.50 to trade at N150.00 per share compared with Thursday’s closing price of N140.50 per share, CSCS Plc went up by N7.95 to N89.65 per unit from N81.70 per unit, and 11 Plc soared by N6.94 to N206.95 per share from N200.01 per share.
By Dipo Olowookere
The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited lost its footing by 0.07 per cent on Friday as a result of renewed profit-taking by investors.
The fall happened after Thomas Wyatt and Guinness Nigeria led other price losers group comprising 27 stocks at the market yesterday due to selling pressure.
Thomas Wyatt Nigeria shed 10.00 per cent to quote at N2.70, Guinness Nigeria drowned by 9.99 per cent to close at N329.00, Ikeja Hotel slipped by 9.96 per cent to N42.50, Zichis shed 9.94 per cent to trade at N26.37, and McNichols depreciated by 9.91 per cent to N5.00.
On the flip side, International Breweries gained 9.92 per cent to finish at N13.30, NEM Insurance appreciated by 9.61 per cent to N27.95, Jaiz Bank grew by 6.36 per cent to N9.20, UPDC expanded by 6.33 per cent to N4.20, and Livestock Feeds increased by 6.32 per cent to N9.25.
Business Post reports that investor sentiment remained bullish despite the loss recorded during the session, as there were 27 price decliners and 30 price advancers, representing a positive market breadth index.
Yesterday, market participants transacted 441.3 million equities for N19.4 billion in 44,938 deals compared with the 1.7 billion equities worth N112.0 billion traded in 44,780 deals a day earlier. This showed that the trading volume contracted by 74.04 per cent, the trading value declined by 82.68 per cent, and an uptick in the number of deals by 0.35 per cent.
Access Holdings led the activity chart on Friday after selling 40.2 million shares valued at N1.0 billion, Sterling Holdco traded 30.3 million stocks worth N228.8 million, Fidelity Bank sold 26.3 million equities for N505.6 million, Zenith Bank transacted 22.3 million shares valued at N2.5 billion, and First Holdco exchanged 19.0 million stocks worth N1.3 billion.
During the last trading session of the week, the consumer goods sector rose by 0.49 per cent, the insurance counter increased by 0.06 per cent, and the industrial goods index closed flat, while the banking and energy indices lost 0.78 per cent and 0.52 per cent, respectively.
As a result, the All-Share Index (ASI) shrank by 159.97 points to 243,798.76 points from 243,958.73 points, and the market capitalisation moderated by N103 billion to N156.445 trillion from N156.548 trillion.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Naira performed poorly against the United States Dollar in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEX) on Friday, July 10, losing N1.19 or 0.09 per cent to close at N1,379.62/$1, in contrast to Thursday’s exchange rate of N1,378.43/$1.
It also depreciated against the Pound Sterling in the official market during the trading session by N3.80 to trade at N1,850.62/£1 compared with the previous day’s N1,846.82/£1, but gained 43 Kobo on the Euro to sell at N1,575.66/€1 versus the preceding day’s N1,576.09/€1.
At the GTBank FX desk, the Naira weakened against the Dollar yesterday by N1 to quote at N1,386/$1 compared with the previous session’s N1,835/$1, and maintained stability in the black market at N1.400/$1.
Data showed that interbank FX turnover fell by about 10 per cent on Friday to $71.044 million from $78.708 million the previous day. Also, interbank forex market deals reduced to 87 from 106 trades executed at the window on Thursday.
The total forex inflows into the Nigerian foreign exchange market have been fluctuating, with about $1 billion in total inflows reported last week.
Total FX inflows settled at $0.99 billion last week, according to the research subsidiary of Coronation Merchant Bank, with Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) accounting for the largest share at 35.81 per cent, or $0.35 billion.
Exporters accounted for 28.72 per cent or $0.28 billion, while the CBN contributed 11.15 per cent or $0.11 billion. Non-Bank Corporations also made up a notable 10.92 per cent of total inflows, reflecting continued support from both market-driven and official sources.
In the cryptocurrency market, Bitcoin rose above $64,100, retesting the price level that rejected it on Monday, with a clean break above, opening the path toward the June 15 high of $67,250. It gained 0.3 per cent to sell at $64,114.16.
Ethereum (ETH) appreciated by 1.6 per cent to $1,798.81, Dogecoin (DOGE) grew by 0.6 per cent to $0.0742, Binance Coin (BNB) added 0.6 per cent to sell for $576.47, Cardano (ADA) also grew by 0.6 per cent to $0.1674, and Ripple (XRP) jumped by 0.4 per cent to $1.10.
But Solana (SOL) lost 1.1 per cent to settle at $77.95, and TRON (TRX) declined by 0.2 per cent to $0.3296, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) remained unchanged at $1.00 apiece.
