Economy
Stock Market Falls on Emergence of Tinubu as APC Presidential Candidate
By Dipo Olowookere
The stock market depreciated by 0.14 per cent on Wednesday as investors begin another round of profit-taking with the key contenders in the 2023 presidential election between the two major political parties now known.
Yesterday, a former Governor of Lagos State, Mr Bola Tinubu, emerged as the flag-bearer of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in next year’s poll, defeating the Vice President, Mr Yemi Osinbajo, who came third and former Governor of Rivers State, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, who was the first runner-up.
With a former Vice President, Mr Atiku Abubakar, as the candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a former Governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi, as the ticket holder of the Labour Party, investors can now guess who will likely take over from President Muhammadu Buhari on May 29, 2023.
Ahead of this, they are treading cautiously and this was reflected in the outcome of the market at the midweek session. The market capitalisation depreciated by N42 billion to settle at N28.677 trillion compared with Tuesday’s N28.719 trillion, while the All Share Index (ASI) fell by 76.90 points to close at 53,193.98 points in contrast to the previous day’s 53,270.88 points.
Trading data showed that investor sentiment was weak yesterday as the exchange ended the session with 20 depreciating stocks and 16 appreciating stocks led by Caverton, which gained 7.34 per cent to close at N1.17.
FTN Cocoa rose by 5.88 per cent to 36 kobo, Transcorp improved by 5.69 per cent to N1.30, Cutix expanded by 4.98 per cent to N2.74, while Linkage Assurance advanced by 3.70 per cent to 56 kobo.
Champion Breweries was the heaviest price loser on Wednesday as it fell by 9.79 per cent to N3.50, Cornerstone Insurance depreciated by 9.68 per cent to 56 kobo, eTranzact went down by 9.67 per cent to N2.71, NEM Insurance depleted by 8.33 per cent to N3.85, while Japaul slipped by 6.25 per cent to 30 kobo.
Business Post reports that the insurance and banking counters went down by 1.76 per cent and 0.86 per cent apiece, while the consumer goods and industrial goods sectors gained 0.13 per cent and 0.03 per cent respectively, with the energy index closing flat.
A total of 249.0 million equities worth N1.9 billion exchanged hands in 4,265 deals on Wednesday compared with the 234.6 million equities worth N2.8 billion traded in 4,232 deals on Tuesday, implying a decline in the value of trades by 32.19 per cent and an increase in the volume of trades and number of trades by 6.11 per cent and 0.78 per cent respectively.
Transcorp dominated the activity chart yesterday, closing as the most active after trading 103.6 million stocks valued at N131.3 million, Fidelity Bank sold 24.8 million shares valued at N80.2 million, FBN Holdings traded 12.5 million equities worth N130.6 million, Japaul exchanged 10.4 million equities valued at N3.1 million, while Chams transacted 7.8 million stocks for N1.9 million.
By Dipo Olowookere
The presence of the bulls further strengthened the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited on Tuesday, as the performance indices further gained 0.19 per cent.
The nation’s stock market survived profit-taking witnessed in the banking sector during the session, which crashed its index by 0.02 per cent.
This loss was offset by the gains recorded by the other sectors, with the insurance segment chalking up 0.49 per cent. The consumer goods space appreciated by 0.47 per cent, the industrial goods counter expanded by 0.04 per cent, and the energy sector rose by 0.03 per cent.
At the close of business, the All-Share Index (ASI) was elevated by 475.60 points to 246,659.56 points from 246,183.96 points, and the market capitalisation improved by N307 billion to N159.119 trillion from N158.812 trillion.
The market breadth index was positive yesterday after the bourse finished with 34 price gainers and 22 price losers, implying strong investor sentiment.
UPDC REIT grew by 9.86 per cent to N11.70, Thomas Wyatt advanced by 9.73 per cent to N3.72, Ikeja Hotel climbed 9.53 per cent to N46.55, The Initiates went up by 9.52 per cent to N33.95, and Neimeth increased by 9.47 per cent to N9.25.
Conversely, Mecure depreciated by 9.95 per cent to N76.95, Haldane McCall dropped 9.86 per cent to trade at N3.29, CMFC declined by 9.85 per cent to N3.02, Trans-Nationwide Express lost 9.68 per cent to close at N2.80, and Academy Press shrank by 9.38 per cent to N5.80.
The activity level was mixed during the session, as investors traded 932.5 million equities worth N49.3 billion in 50,059 deals versus the 851.6 million equities valued at N49.6 billion transacted in 56,873 deals a day earlier.
This showed that the trading volume soared by 9.50 per cent, the trading value moderated by 0.61 per cent, and the number of deals retreated by 11.98 per cent.
The busiest equity for the day was Access Holdings, which sold 336.6 million units for N8.7 billion. FCMB exchanged 88.8 million units worth N1.0 billion, First Holdco transacted 72.7 million units valued at N7.7 billion, Zenith Bank traded 37.4 million units for N4.4 billion, and UBA transacted 32.1 million units worth N1.5 billion.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Thirty-one companies on Tuesday emerged as winners of the 2025 licensing round of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
The energy firms competed to take control of 50 oil and gas blocks put on offer by the Nigerian government.
They were among the 143 companies that submitted 200 bids for the oil facilities drawn from diverse terrains, including the Niger Delta Onshore, Niger Delta Shallow Water, Niger Delta Deep Offshore, Benin Basin Onshore, Anambra Basin Onshore, Chad Basin Onshore and Benue Trough.
Business Post gathered that investors, however, were only interested in 37 out of the 50 oil blocks put up for sale by the NUPRC. This is the first time in Nigeria’s energy history that frontier basins would attract such a level of investor interest.
The organisations that won the bids include SSonic Petroleum Limited (PPL 2A29), CFP Pipeline and Flowlines (2A30), Dutchford E&P Limited (2A32), Attabanson Global Company Limited (2A33 and PPL 901), Rosem Energy Limited (2A38), Pivot-GIS Limited (2A39), Network E&P (2A40), Asharami (2A41), LexOil (2A42), BVOF (2A43), GupscoEnergy Limited (2A44 and 2A51), Saratoga (2A45), Volante (2A46), Concept-Reel Petroleum Services Limited (2A47 and 2A55), Clinton Oil Field (2A48 and 2A62) and Nuway Oaklane Limited (2A49).
Others are Ramec (2A50), Italia (2A53), Blueridge E&P (2A54), Up Energies Limited (2A56), AYM Shafa (2A57), Blackrock Holdings Limited (2A58), Funtay Integrated Business Limited (2A59), Riparian Development and Production Limited (2A60), Nikstallis (2A61 and PPL 900), Stardeep Petroleum (PPL 2010), Dakoda & U Limited (PPL308 and PPL 800), Southborne Oil and Gas Limited (PPL 902), Lanaka Petroleum (PPL 903) HighbanResources Limited (PPL 700), Eyre Energy Limited (PPL 801).
By Adedapo Adesanya
Oil prices rose roughly 2 per cent on Tuesday as investors reacted to mounting concerns that escalating hostilities between the United States and Iran and threats by Yemen’s Houthis to blockade Saudi Arabia could disrupt global energy supplies.
Brent futures rose $1.79 or 2.0 per cent to $91.01 a barrel, while the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude gained $1.68 or 2.0 per cent to settle at $84.91 per barrel.
US forces bombed targets in the south and west of Iran while Iran targeted American sites in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan and at least one tanker was hit in the Strait of Hormuz.
Supply concerns resurfaced with the Strait essentially closed again and tanker traffic at multi-month lows, to the level from before the ceasefire between the US and Iran, which appears to be over at the moment.
Prices could go much higher if the renewed conflict drags on for a few more months, as the world has now drained a lot of the buffers that had kept oil surges in check between March and May.
Drained strategic and commercial inventories in many key oil-consuming economies, including the US, are setting the stage for further oil price rallies during the busiest oil demand season.
The just-declared Houthi blockade on Saudi maritime shipping has already begun to witness ill-effects, as reports emerge of two oil tankers having made U-turns while initially en route toward the Suez Canal. It was reported that their crews received threats from Houthi militants in Yemen.
The two oil tankers, which loaded Saudi crude for China and India, made U-turns in the Red Sea and headed toward the Suez following the warning from the militia.
Meanwhile, Kuwait’s power and desalination plants caught fire for a second straight day as US and Iran traded strikes for a tenth day.
As Russia’s war with Ukraine expands beyond Ukraine’s borders, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) has stopped receiving oil from Kazakhstan after suspending loadings on Monday due to attacks on oil tankers at its Black Sea terminal.
