Economy
Oil Rebounds Amid Omicron Threats
By Adedapo Adesanya
Oil prices returned to the bullish territory on Monday after a heavy price crash last Friday amid fears over the threat to demand triggered by the new Omicron COVID-19 variant.
The international benchmark, Brent crude futures, gained $1.02 or 1.39 per cent to trade at $74.46 per barrel, while the United States’ benchmark, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude, gained 89 cents or 1.27 per cent to sell at $70.84 per barrel.
Last week, the market panicked over Omicron, the new heavily mutated coronavirus variant detected in South Africa, dropping more than 10 per cent over fears sparked by what the global health authority – the World Health Organisation (WHO) classified as a “variant of concern.”
However, Monday breathed a fresh air of relief as traders, investors, and speculators awaited scientific evidence of whether Omicron should be as feared as the oil market appeared to fear at the preceding session.
WHO declared on Sunday that it was not clear yet if Omicron was more transmissible or if infection with Omicron causes more severe disease compared to infections with other variants, including Delta.
The market also found support when the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies (OPEC+) said there was no panic about the new variant.
Russia and Saudi Arabia, who lead the coalition, signalled there was no need for OPEC+ to race to adjust oil output policy this week.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak was quoted as saying that he sees no need for urgent action on the oil market over Omicron, downplaying the possibility of changes to an OPEC+ oil supply deal this week.
“There is no need for hasty decisions,” he was quoted as saying, adding “We will additionally discuss with the OPEC+ countries the market situation and if any measures are warranted,” Mr Novak said.
On his part, the Saudi energy minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman al-Saud said he was not worried about the Omicron, but declined to comment on OPEC+ plans.
OPEC+ will hold online meetings this week to decide on oil production policy.
The group has been reducing its curbs on output by 400,000 barrels per day of oil per month as it winds down record cuts from last year when it cut production by as much as 10 million bpd to address lower demand caused by lockdowns.
OPEC+ has some 3.8 million barrels per day of cuts still in place and some analysts have suggested the group could pause its output increases.
President Joe Biden urged Americans not to panic about the new COVID-19 variant and said the United States was working with pharmaceutical companies to make contingency plans if new vaccines were needed.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration’s release of Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR) has proven to have little impact on the underlying price of oil, following the initial price reaction in oil last week after the government flooded the market with 50 million barrels.
On the back of this, investment bank, JPMorgan thinks Brent will hit $120 per barrel in 2022, and could even overshoot to $150 per barrel in 2023, representing a potential upside of as much as 100 per cent from current levels.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The duo of Afriland Properties Plc and Geo-Fluids Plc crashed the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange by a marginal 0.06 per cent on Wednesday, December 11 due to profit-taking activities.
The OTC securities exchange experienced a downfall at midweek despite UBN Property Plc posting a price appreciation of 17 Kobo to close at N1.96 per share, in contrast to Tuesday’s closing price of N1.79.
Business Post reports that Afriland Properties Plc slid by N1.14 to finish at N15.80 per unit versus the preceding day’s N16.94 per unit, and Geo-Fluids Plc declined by 1 Kobo to trade at N3.92 per share compared with the N3.93 it ended a day earlier.
At the close of transactions, the market capitalisation of the bourse, which measures the total value of securities on the platform, shrank by N650 million to finish at N1.055 trillion compared with the previous day’s N1.056 trillion and the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) went down by 1.86 points to wrap the session at 3,012.50 points compared with 3,014.36 points recorded in the previous session.
The alternative stock market was busy yesterday as the volume of securities traded by investors soared by 146.9 per cent to 5.9 million units from 2.4 million units, as the value of shares transacted by the market participants jumped by 360.9 per cent to N22.5 million from N4.9 million, and the number of deals increased by 50 per cent to 21 deals from 14 deals.
When the bourse closed for the day, Geo-Fluids Plc remained the most active stock by volume (year-to-date) with 1.7 billion units valued at N3.9 billion, followed by Okitipupa Plc with 752.2 million units worth N7.8 billion, and Afriland Properties Plc 297.5 million units sold for N5.3 million.
Also, Aradel Holdings Plc, which is now listed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited after its exit from NASD, remained the most active stock by value (year-to-date) with 108.7 million units sold for N89.2 billion, trailed by Okitipupa Plc with 752.2 million units valued at N7.8 billion, and Afriland Properties Plc with 297.5 million units worth N5.3 billion.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The euphoria around the recent appreciation of the Naira eased on Wednesday, December 11 after its value shrank against the US Dollar at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) by N5.23 or 0.3 per cent to N1,547.50/$1 from the N1,542.27/$1 it was valued on Tuesday.
It was observed that spectators’ activities may have triggered the weakening of the local currency in the official market at midweek as they tried to fight back and ensure the value of funds in foreign currencies strengthened.
The domestic currency was regaining its footing after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) launched an Electronic Foreign Exchange Matching System (EFEMS) platform to tackle speculation and improve transparency in Nigeria’s FX market.
At midweek, the Nigerian currency depreciated against the Pound Sterling by N3.56 to close at N1,958.68/£1 compared with the preceding day’s N1,955.12/£1 and against the Euro, it slumped by 34 Kobo to trade at N1,612.66/€1, in contrast to the previous session’s N1,613.00/€1.
As for the black market segment, the Naira lost N45 against the American currency during the session to quote at N1,670/$1 compared with the N1,625/$1 it was traded a day earlier.
A look at the cryptocurrency market showed a recovery following profit-taking as the US Consumer Price Index report matched economist forecasts.
The news was enough to convince traders that the Federal Reserve is certain to trim its benchmark fed funds rate another 25 basis points at its meeting next week.
The move also saw Bitcoin (BTC), the most valued coin, return to the $100,000 mark as it added a 2.9 per cent gain and sold for $100,566.12.
The biggest gainer was Cardano (ADA), which jumped by 15.00 per cent to trade at $1.16, as Litecoin (LTC) appreciated by 10.4 per cent to sell for $121.76, and Ethereum (ETH) surged by 7.0 per cent to $3,929.30, while Dogecoin (DOGE) recorded a 6.7 per cent growth to finish at $0.4181.
Further, Binance Coin (BNB) went up by 5.2 per cent to $716.72, Solana (SOL) expanded by 4.6 per cent to $229.77, and Ripple (XRP) increased by 4.2 per cent to $2.43, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) closed flat at $1.00 apiece.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The Dangote Refinery located in the Lekki area of Lagos State has made its first export of premium motor spirit (PMS) just three months after it commenced the production of petrol.
In September 2024, the refinery produced its first petrol and began loading to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) on September 15.
However, due to some issues, the facility has not been able to flood the local market with its product, forcing it to look elsewhere.
In a landmark move for regional energy integration, Dangote Refinery has partnered with Neptune Oil to take its petrol to neighbouring Cameroon.
Neptune Oil is a leading energy company in Cameroon which provides reliable and sustainable energy solutions.
Dangote Refinery said this development showcases its ability to meet domestic needs and position itself as a key player in the regional energy market, adding that it represents a significant step forward in accessing high-quality and locally sourced petroleum products for Cameroon.
“This first export of PMS to Cameroon is a tangible demonstration of our vision for a united and energy-independent Africa.
“With this development, we are laying the foundation for a future where African resources are refined and exchanged within the continent for the benefit of our people,” the owner of Dangote Refinery, Mr Aliko Dangote, said.
His counterpart at Neptune Oil, Mr Antoine Ndzengue, said, “This partnership with Dangote Refinery marks a turning point for Cameroon.
“By becoming the first importer of petroleum products from this world-class refinery, we are bolstering our country’s energy security and supporting local economic development.
“This initial supply, executed without international intermediaries, reflects our commitment to serving our markets independently and efficiently.”
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