Economy
Stock Market Bleeds as CBN Cancels MPC Meeting, Investors Lose N65b
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Trading activities on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) opened for the new week on Monday on a negative note.
The stock market, which reversed a downward trend last Friday, resumed bearish today after pointing south by 0.40 percent, shrinking the year-to-date return to 17.44 percent.
The loss occurred as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) failed to hold its first Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting for the year today as a result of lack of quorum.
Like in America, where the Senate failed to pass the country’s spending bill, leading to a government shutdown since last Friday, the Nigerian Senate has failed to confirm nominees of the committee sent to the upper parliament last year by President Muhammadu Buhari as a result of an impasse with the executive.
This made it impossible for the MPC meeting to hold today as earlier planned. However, the CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, announced today that the rates, as announced at its last meeting in November 2017, would be retained.
At the close of transactions on the floor of the Nigerian bourse on Monday, the All-Share Index (ASI), which stood at 45,092.83 points on Friday, depreciated by 180.30 points on Monday to settle at 44,912.53 points.
Also, the market capitalisation, which was N16.155 trillion at the last trading session, decreased by N64.6 billion to finish at N16.090 trillion when the market closed for the day.
Business Post reports that the Conglomerates sector led the activity chart on Monday with 3.9 billion shares worth N9.4 billion transacted by investors, while the Financial Services industry followed with 523.2 million equities valued at N5.2 billion exchanged.
At the close of business, the total volume of equities exchanged by investors increased by 231.25 percent from 1.3 billion to 4.4 billion.
Also, the total value of stocks transacted rose marginally by 84.57 percent from N8.6 billion last Friday to N15.9 billion today.
Transcorp continued today as the most traded equity in terms of volume on the local bourse, selling 3.9 billion shares worth N9.3 billion.
Diamond Bank followed after trading 85.8 million shares valued at N297.9 million, and FCMB, which transacted 76.7 million equities for N267 million.
Fidelity Bank sold 69 million shares for N266 million, while FBN Holdings exchanged 57.7 million shares valued at N785.7 million.
The market breadth closed at equilibrium on Monday with 26 price gainers and losers. The total number of equities that traded flat today were 43.
Nestle led the price losers’ chart today after depreciating by N30 to settle at N1470 per share, and was followed by Unilever, which went down by N2.80k to close at N44.20k per share.
Forte Oil declined by N1.78k to finish at N50 per share, GTBank lost N1.20k to close at N53.51k per share, while UAC of Nigeria crashed by 39k to end at N17.10k per share.
On the flip side, Beta Glass topped the gainers’ table after adding N2.82k to its share value to close at N59.38k per share.
PZ Cussons rose by N1.10k to finish at N23.10k per share, and International Breweries grew by N1 to end at N64 per share.
Furthermore, Cadbury advanced by 93k to close at N15.99k per share, while Nigerian Breweries increased by 81k to settle at N143 per share.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The pre-registration training and examination for capital market operators (CMOs) for the second quarter of 2026 has been postponed.
Business Post gathered that the new date for the exercise is now Monday, June 15, 2026.
This information was disclosed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) through a circular on Monday, June 8, 2026.
The Nigerian capital market regulator stated that this postponement has also resulted in the extension of the deadline for registration to Friday, June 12, 2026.
In the notice today, the SEC expressed its regret for the inconvenience this action may cause operators, who had prepared for the initial date of the training and examination.
“Further to the recent circular on Q2 2026 Pre-registration Training and Examination, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) hereby informs all eligible applicants for the Q2 2026 Pre-registration Training and Examination that the commencement date has been postponed to Monday, June 15, 2026.
“Registration on the designated portal has also been extended to Friday, June 12, 2026. All other conditions contained in the circular remain unchanged.
“The commission regrets any inconvenience this postponement may cause and appreciates the understanding of all applicants,” the disclosure noted.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
One of the leading healthcare firms in Nigeria, Fidson Healthcare Plc, has listed additional shares on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited.
The new stocks absorbed into the stock market were 600 million units, raising the total issued and fully paid-up shares of Fidson to 3,000,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each from 2,400,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each.
The fresh equities came from the company’s rights issue of 600,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each at N35.00 per share.
They were issued to existing investors on the basis of one new ordinary share for every existing four ordinary shares held as of the close of business on Wednesday, November 12, 2025.
Confirming the development, the regulator in a notice said, “Trading licence holders are hereby notified that an additional 600,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each of Fidson Healthcare Plc were on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, listed on the daily official list of Nigerian Exchange Limited.
“The additional shares arose from the company’s rights issue of 600,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each at N35.00 per share on the basis of one new ordinary share for every existing four ordinary shares held as at the close of business on Wednesday, November 12, 2025.
“With the listing of the additional 600,000,000 ordinary shares, the total issued and fully paid-up shares of Fidson Healthcare Plc have now increased from 2,400,000,000 to 3,000,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
This news will surely excite local contractors with verified claims of N100 million or less, as the federal government has approved their payments.
This approval for the disbursement was given by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele.
This followed a verification and reconciliation exercise designed to ensure only validated claims qualify for payment.
The beneficiaries cover contractors across multiple ministries, departments and agencies. The release of the funds is expected to enable contractors to return to project sites, pay workers, settle suppliers and meet outstanding financial commitments.
In an announcement on Monday, the Federal Ministry of Finance also said this latest batch of payments would ease liquidity pressure on small businesses and accelerate economic activity nationwide.
It was noted that the payments for verified claims of N100 million below were strategically done to spread economic impact broadly rather than concentrate disbursements among a handful of large firms.
The payments form part of a broader push to clear inherited contractor obligations, with over N700 billion verified in recent months.
“For many beneficiaries, the release of funds represents more than a financial transaction. It provides the certainty needed to sustain operations, preserve jobs, complete ongoing projects, and contribute to economic recovery and growth,” the ministry said in a statement.
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