Economy
Oil Prices Drop as Supply, Demand Worries Weigh on Market
By Adedapo Adesanya
Oil prices slid on Friday as investors weighed reassurances from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+) against the latest jobs data in the United States that lowered expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates soon, with Brent crude futures losing 25 cents to settle at $79.62 per barrel and the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) down by 2 cents to $75.53 per barrel.
Data showed US jobs growth accelerated far more than expected in May, keeping the US Federal Reserve on track to hold off starting to cut interest rates until September at the earliest.
The European Central Bank (ECB) went ahead with its first interest rate cut since 2019 on Thursday, despite an increasingly uncertain inflation outlook.
High borrowing costs can slow economic activity and dampen demand for oil.
Market analysts noted that the jobs report indicated higher rates for longer, a trend that tends to dampen enthusiasm for the oil market.
Meanwhile, both benchmarks posted a third straight weekly loss. Brent was down 2.5 per cent and WTI fell off by 1.9 per cent.
Earlier in the week, after OPEC+ members announced that they would start phasing out 2.2 million barrels per day in production cuts starting in October, there was an indication of rising supply, which is bearish for prices.
Poor US manufacturing data and weak private payrolls also weighed on the market.
Also pressuring the market, the US Dollar rallied 0.8 per cent to a more than one-week high shortly after the release of the jobs report.
However, oil prices have been buttressed by support from OPEC+ members Saudi Arabia and Russia, indicating readiness to pause or reverse oil output increases.
In China, data showed that although exports grew for a second month in May, crude oil imports fell, signalling demand concerns in the world’s largest crude oil buyer.
In Russia, the operations of the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in the southern Rostov region suffered significant disruptions after a fire following a drone attack on Thursday.
The US active oil rig count, an early indicator of future output, fell by four this week to 492, the lowest since January 2022, energy services firm Baker Hughes said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange rose by 1.18 per cent, with the Unlisted Security Index (USI) crossing the 3,000 mark after it went up by 35.24 points on Tuesday, November 26 to 3,032.92 points from the 2,997.68 points recorded in the previous session.
At the close of transactions yesterday, the market capitalisation increased by N12.36 billion to settle at N1.063 trillion, in contrast to Monday’s closing value of N1.050 trillion.
During the session, FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc gained N3.31 to sell at N43.90 per share versus the N40.59 per share it traded a day earlier, and 11 Plc appreciated by N16.75 to end the session at N230.00 per unit versus the preceding closing rate of N213.25 per unit.
On the flip side, Afriland Properties Plc slipped by 11 Kobo to sell at N15.81 per share, in contrast to the N15.92 per share it was transacted a day earlier.
There was a slump in the volume of securities traded in the session by 80.2 per cent to 327,425 units from the 1.7 million units traded in the preceding session, but there was a rise in the value of transactions by 141.9 per cent to N15.7 million from the N6.5 million traded on Monday, and the number of deals decreased by 55.0 per cent to nine deals from the 20 deals carried out a day earlier.
At the close of business, Geo-Fluids Plc remained the most traded stock by volume (year-to-date) with 1.7 billion units sold for N3.9 billion, followed by Okitipupa Plc with the sale of 752.2 million units valued at N7.8 billion, and Afriland Properties Plc with 297.3 million units worth N5.3 million.
Similarly, Aradel Holdings Plc maintained its position as the most active stock by value (year-to-date) with a turnover of 108.7 million units worth N89.2 billion, trailed by Okitipupa Plc with 752.2 million units valued at N7.8 billion, and Afriland Properties Plc with 297.3 million units sold for N5.3 billion.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Naira strengthened its value against the US Dollar at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) on Tuesday by 0.97 per cent or N16.18 to exchange at N1,659.44/$1 compared wth the previous day’s value of N1,675.62/$1 amid an improvement in the supply of forex to the market segment by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Data showed that the FX transactions for the trading session increased by 291.6 per cent or $317.19 million to $425.98 million from the $108.79 million recorded in the last trading session.
Also, the domestic currency improved its value against the Pound Sterling in the spot market yesterday by N23.42 to settle at N2,116.44/£1, in contrast to Monday’s closing price of N2,139.86/£1 and against the Euro, it closed flat at the value of N1,783.36/€1.
In the parallel market, the Nigerian currency remained unchanged against the US Dollar during the trading day at N1,750/$1, according to data obtained by Business Post.
At the 298th Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, the Governor of the CBN, Mr Yemi Cardoso, said the apex bank will continue to carry out measures to ensure stability in the FX market, and plans to avoid any move that will disrupt progress it has made. This was after the bank further raised the interest rate by 0.50 per cent to 27.50 per cent.
In the cryptocurrency market, some of the gains made during the recent post-US election price surge have weakened, as traders see the presidency of Mr Donald Trump as bullish for the industry especially with some of his allies and expected appointees to certain financial positions.
Ripple (XRP) shed 3.9 per cent to trade at $1.38, Binance Coin (BNB) depleted by 3.7 per cent to $619.77, Solana (SOL) slumped by 3.2 per cent to $230.87, Dogecoin (DOGE) fell by 3.0 per cent to $0.3938, Bitcoin (BTC) dropped 1.6 per cent to $93,220.19, Cardano (ADA) depreciated by 1.1 per cent to $0.9682, and Ethereum (ETH) slid by 0.2 per cent to at $3,417.79.
However, Litecoin (LTC) appreciated by 0.4 per cent to quote at $94.68, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) remained unchanged at $1.00, respectively.
By Dipo Olowookere
The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited had a narrow escape from the claws of the bears on Tuesday after it closed higher by a marginal 0.01 per cent.
This happened as investor sentiment waned yesterday, with profit-taking witnessed in the banking space, which fell by 0.21 per cent at the close of transactions.
However, bargain-hunting from the other sectors ensured that the bulls took charge of the bourse, with the insurance index rising by 0.91 per cent.
Further, the industrial goods sector appreciated by 0.76 per cent, the energy counter improved by 0.36 per cent, and the consumer goods space gained 0.09 per cent.
Consequently, the All-Share Index (ASI) moved up by 13.61 points to 97,639.88 points from 97,626.27 points and the market capitalisation expanded by N9 billion to N59.178 trillion from the preceding day’s N59.169 trillion.
The market breadth index was negative during the trading session as Customs Street ended with 24 price gainers and 25 price losers.
Haldane McCall topped the gainers’ chart after it chalked up 9.98 per cent to trade at N6.17, Sunu Assurances grew by 9.80 per cent to N3.81, Japaul increased its value by 9.72 per cent to N2.37, Prestige Assurance jumped by 9.64 per cent to 91 Kobo, and Neimeth leapt by 9.55 per cent to N2.18.
Conversely, Multiverse lost 9.92 per cent to finish at N5.90, Tantalizers slowed by 9.30 per cent to N1.17, UPDC REIT tumbled by 9.01 per cent to N5.05, Universal Insurance retreated by 5.88 per cent to 32 Kobo, and RT Briscoe fell by 5.67 per cent to N2.66.
Yesterday, investors transacted 552.1 million stocks valued at N8.0 billion in 9,305 deals versus the 671.3 million stocks sold for N10.6 billion in 10,464 deals a day earlier, representing a decline of 17.75 per cent, 24.53 per cent, and 11.08 per cent in the trading volume, value and number of deals, respectively.
The most traded equity for the day was Haldane McCall, which exchanged 177.1 million units for N1.1 billion, followed by Tantalizers with 37.0 million units sold for N46.7 million, UBA transacted 29.6 million units valued at N947.3 million, Prestige Assurance traded 28.6 million units worth N25.6 million, and FBN Holdings transacted 21.5 million units valued at N536.2 million.
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