Market Roundup 24th October 2023.
Markets % Change YTD (%) JSE 70,100.28 -0.14% -4.04% NGX ASI 66,876.92 -0.06% 30.49% NASI 92.58 -0.63% -34.89% MASI 12,263.0 -0.15% 14.0% EGX 30 22,572.49 2.01% 38.5% Brent Crude Oil 90.32 -1.08% 5.1% Natural Gas 2.906 0.83% -29.1% I&E FX Window 793.34 Parallel Market 1225.00 Nigerian Treasury Bill (Average Yield %) 7.83% 0.18% 27.73% FGN Bonds (Average Yield %) 14.66% 0.01% 24.03% Gold 1,976.3 -0.76% 8.9% Cocoa 3,759.0 1.9% 44.3% Cotton 82.90 1.9% 0.31%
Market Roundup 23rd October 2023
Markets % Change YTD (%) JSE 70,198.01 -1.08% -3.9% NGX ASI 66,915.41 -0.27% 30.56% NASI 93.17 -0.08% -26.91% MASI 12,263.0 0.52% 14.2% EGX 30 22,128 2.3% 35.7% Brent Crude Oil 91.31 -2.13% 6.3% Natural Gas 2.882 -2.24% -29.7% I&E FX Window 808.27 Parallel Market 1160.00 Nigerian Treasury Bill (Average Yield %) 7.83% 0.18% 27.73% FGN Bonds (Average Yield %) 14.66% 0.01% 24.03% Gold 1,911.4 0.72% 9.8% Cocoa 3,688.9 1.12% 41.6% Cotton 82.332 -1.5% -1.56%
Market Roundup 20th October 2023
Markets % Change YTD (%) JSE 70,961.33 -1.4% -2.86% NGX ASI 67,098.80 -0.38% 30.92% NASI 93.17 -0.08% -26.91% MASI 12,263.0 0.52% 14.2% EGX 30 21,616.6 -2.26% 32.6% Brent Crude Oil 91.02 2.50% 8.6% Natural Gas 3.074 -4.10% -28.1% I&E FX Window 782.68 Parallel Market 1145.00 Nigerian Treasury Bill (Average Yield %) 7.83% 0.18% 27.73% FGN Bonds (Average Yield %) 14.66% 0.01% 24.03% Gold 1,977.2 1.56% 9.0% Cocoa 3,648.0 0.63% 40.0% Cotton 83.290 -0.42% -0.42%
Market Roundup 19th October 2023
Markets % Change YTD (%) JSE 71,968.67 -1.19% -1.48% NGX ASI 67,353.93 0.04% 31.42% NASI 93.24 -0.02% -26.85% MASI 12,137.0 -0.46% 13.0% EGX 30 22,117.4 0.20% 35.7% Brent Crude Oil 91.02 -0.61% 5.9% Natural Gas 3.072 0.07% -25.0% I&E FX Window 790.68 Parallel Market 1090.00 Nigerian Treasury Bill (Average Yield %) 7.83% 0.18% 27.73% FGN Bonds (Average Yield %) 14.66% 0.01% 24.03% Gold 1,946.8 0.53% 7.3% Cocoa 3,635.0 -0.28% 39.5% Cotton 82.80 1.01% 0.00%
Market Roundup 18th October 2023
Markets % Change YTD (%) JSE 72,831.80 -0.43% -0.3% NGX ASI 67,326.93 0.43% 31.37% NASI 93.26 -0.1% -26.84% MASI 12,137.0 -0.46% 13.0% EGX 30 22,073.95 4.95% 35.4% Brent Crude Oil 91.58 2.22% 6.6% Natural Gas 3.072 -1.16% -25.1% I&E FX Window 848.12 Parallel Market 1050.00 Nigerian Treasury Bill (Average Yield %) 7.83% 0.18% 27.73% FGN Bonds (Average Yield %) 14.66% 0.01% 24.03% Gold 1,936.5 -2.82% 6.7% Cocoa 3,635.0 1.22% 39.5% Cotton 82.80 -2.07% -1.00%
Nigeria’s President continues the sketchy cash transfer project of his predecessor
Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reiterated the administration’s commitment to continue the sketchy and non-transparent conditional cash transfer policy of his predecessor. This time, the government will be providing 15 million households with N25,000 over three months. The overall policy is a combination of the CCT and business grants via the National Social Safety Net Expansion Programme. However, critics maintain that there is no evidence that the government has a database of the most vulnerable 15 million households in Nigeria. It thus means that the exercise is inherently discriminatory since some of the most vulnerable will miss out. Also, any form of cash transfer is rooted and riddled with corruption. The CCT was first introduced in 2016 under the social intervention scheme to reduce poverty in Nigeria, but the Nigeria Labour Congress and others have often queried the integrity of the data and process.
Belt and Road initiative forums mask debt pile up, geopolitical tensions, and stuttering Chinese economy
The BRI forum in Beijing ends today and it is now widely acknowledged that the next 10 years will not be like the last. Three things have happened that make it improbable that China will continue the same aggressive strategy of the last 10 years. The debt piled up on the back of the initiative has been huge. Geopolitical tensions have emerged around international trade and globalisation. Also, the Chinese economy is weaker than it was before the pandemic. The initiative, focused on Africa, Asia, and Latin America has been one of China and the world’s most comprehensive trade and foreign policy, allowing Chinese companies to build transportation, energy and other infrastructures funded by Chinese development bank loans. 152 countries signed up, with Italy the only European country to do so. 3,000 projects at different stages of completion and nearly US $1 trillion investment.
France to withdraw troops from Niger end of year
President Macron of France says the country will withdraw its troops from Niger at the end of this year. The relationship between France and Niger has deteriorated rapidly since the coup in the African country, Nigeria’s neigbour to the North. First, the French ambassador will leave immediately while the troops will leave end of year. The current Niger authorities welcome the French decision to leave the country. Since the Coup in July, a military intervention by ECOWAS to restore the democratically elected President Bazoum has not been implemented.
Tall order on SDGs
After the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) 78th meeting last week, one of the conclusions was that it will be difficult to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets set for 2030. The ambitious 17-point Agenda set in 2015 to promote prosperity, address inequalities, while protecting the environment did not envisage the catastrophic global economic crisis that followed Covid – 19 and the geopolitical tensions following the Russia / Ukraine war. Halfway into 2030, the SDG summit 2023 provided initiatives to speed up the success including on energy transition, catalysing global push for transforming education, acceleration on jobs and social protection and inclusive digital infrastructure.
Egypt and IMF agree to merge review
The Arab Republic of Egypt and the International Monetary Fund (IMD) has agreed to merge the first and second review of its US $3 billion extended arrangement agreed December 2022. The first review was supposed to hold in March 2023 and the second this month. Those reviews will now hold together. The IMF support was designed to support macroeconomic stability, reduce inflation, and allow fiscal consolidation. Egypt, like most African economies has faced heightened economic uncertainty following recent global economic shocks. Poverty remains high at near 30%, while unemployment is near 10%. Growth expectation for 2023 is at 4%. Egypt is the largest Africa borrower from the IMF.