Business
Europe rides rebound in risk appetite, emerging markets shine
LONDON – Revived appetite for emerging markets helped Asian stocks hit a near six-month high on Wednesday, driving more modest gains in Europe and other developed markets, where future stimulus looks less clear-cut.
It was an easier start for European bourses after a difficult couple of days during which tensions have escalated in Ukraine and the European Central Bank has tempered expectations of a new asset-buying program.
The pan-regional FTSEurofirst 300 .FTEU3 rose 0.6 percent as the main markets in London .FTSE, Paris .FCHI and Frankfurt .GDAXI helped claw back some of the 1.2 percent the FTSEurofirst has lost so far this week.
In the currency market, the euro and sterling both remained firm as the dollar retook a bit of the ground it has lost against a rallying yen in recent days.
The International Monetary Fund predicted on Tuesday the global recovery would strengthen this year and next as output in richer nations picked up.
But it was emerging markets that got the thumbs-up from investors again on Wednesday.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan advanced almost 1 percent .MIAPJ0000PUS to its highest level since late October, helped by another EM outperformance .MSCIEF, both in stocks and currencies.
Talk that China could be readying new economic support measures has helped investors largely put aside worries about geopolitics and slowing U.S. stimulus that fuelled a turbulent start to the year for emerging assets.
The South Korean won led Asian currency gains on Wednesday as it hit a near six-year high thanks to capital inflows, while the Indonesian rupiah rose as parliamentary elections started. <EMRG/FRX>
“The divergence (in performance) between developed market and emerging market assets and currencies has continued,” analysts at Morgan Stanley wrote in a note to clients.
“A rotation from growth to value assets is being broadly cited as putting major DM equity markets under pressure.”
GREECE IS THE WORD
Core euro zone bonds were under pressure in early European trading.<GVD/EUR>
But periphery debt was back in favor as chatter focused on talk Greece was poised to announce its return to bond markets, just two years after a spectacular default that saw investors lose 70 percent of their cash.
Greece has hired a group of banks to manage the sale of a 2 billion euro five-year bond, Thomson Reuters markets service IFR reported last week, a move sources said would now happen on Thursday.
“The fact that Greece is returning is good news for the periphery in general,” one trader said. The yield on Greek 10-year bonds traded at 5.995 pct, its lowest since prior to its first bailout in 2010.
Nervousness about Ukraine failed to temper the revival of risk appetite. The United States accused Russian agents and special forces on Tuesday of fomenting unrest, saying Moscow could be eyeing military action as it had in Crimea.
The dollar stood at 102.00 yen, off a three-week trough of 101.55 hit on Tuesday and a long way off the 2-1/2 month high of 104.13 against the Japanese currency it touched on Friday.
The British pound’s strong run has also been a focus in currency markets in recent sessions.
It was little changed and buying $1.6744 at 0815 GMT having jumped on Tuesday after strong industrial output data and glowing comments from the IMF had stirred expectations for the Bank of England to raise rates ahead of its peers.
“While the strength of the yen has likely caught many participants wrong-footed and runs counter to the underlying theme favoring carry strategies and risk assets, it may be the pound that is the most surprising,” currency strategists at Brown Brothers Harriman wrote in a note to clients.
SAFETY FIRST
In the commodities markets, gold traded near a two-week high after rising 1 percent on Tuesday thanks to the sharply lower dollar and the renewed tensions in Ukraine.
Spot bullion traded at $1,310.30 an ounce, not far off Tuesday’s session high of $1,314.43. <GOL/>
The events in eastern Ukraine also provided some support for oil by fuelling fears that tensions between Moscow and Western powers may disrupt supply from Russia, one of the world’s top oil exporters.
Brent stood little changed at $107.34 a barrel, holding most of the gains made when it surged 1.7 percent on Tuesday.
– REUTERS
The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has announced revisions to the Maximum Deposit Insurance Coverage for banks operating within the country.
NDIC’s Managing Director, Bello Hassan, disclosed the updated coverage benchmarks during a media briefing in Abuja on Thursday.
The coverage for Deposit Money Banks has been increased from N500,000 to N5 million, for Microfinance Banks from N200,000 to N2 million, for Primary Mortgage Banks from N500,000 to N2 million, and for Mobile Money Operators subscribers’ pass-through from N500,000 to N5 million per subscriber.
Hassan underscored that the objective of the update is to enhance depositor safety, foster public trust, promote the inclusivity of financial services, and ensure the overall stability of the financial sector.
More to follow.. . .. .
The 63rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group), held at the Nigerian Exchange Group House on Monday, April 29, 2024.
During the gathering, the Group concluded on ordinary and special business matters, while also unveiling plans to embark on a comprehensive digital transformation strategy to expand its business operations in line with its overarching strategy.
The meeting’s agenda, approved by the Board of Directors, included the declaration of a final dividend, ratifying the appointment of Temi Popoola as the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NGX Group, presenting financial statements to shareholders, re-electing non-executive directors retiring by rotation, authorizing, and disclosing remuneration, among other undertakings.
Notably, the NGX Group, subject to regulatory approval, discussed its authorization on a rights issue to raise capital of up to N10 billion with a subjoined resolution to increase its share capital to sufficiently accommodate the rights issue.
All resolutions were approved by shareholders just as appointment and reelections of directors were ratified.
Following substantial authorization across its agenda, the NGX Group introduced plans to propel the markets with a digital transformation journey that includes an online platform for public offers and deep investments in its technology stack amongst others.
The platform will provide a smarter and efficient way for Issuers to raise capital and enhances the subscription process and operational workflow of POs in the capital market including initial public offerings (IPOs), rights issues and other public offers.
On the development, the Group Chairman, NGX Group, Umaru Kwairanga said, “I am particularly grateful to our shareholders for their assent to the critical business we conducted today. As the Board oversees the strategic direction and gives management the necessary support and guidance, we believe that the coming year will be a better one in terms of value created for our shareholders.
“NGX Group is positioned to capitalize on opportunities amid the positive and forward-looking reforms by the government and our stakeholders should rest assured we will deliver excellently.”
On his part, Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, NGX Group, Temi Popoola, said, “As we complete our 63rd AGM, I extend my sincere gratitude to our shareholders, customers, employees, regulators, and directors for their steadfast support. In a year that underscored NGX Group’s strategic agility and operational excellence, we witnessed growth stemming from our dynamic revenue streams. We are optimistic and well-positioned to forge a future marked by success, resilience, and prosperity.
Addressing the digital transformation agenda, Popoola stated, “The future of our business and the capital markets hinges on technology. That is why we are driving this digital transformation journey across our subsidiaries through the Group. NGX Group’s digital transformation will democratize access to public issuances for every Nigerian with a mobile phone, supporting capital-raising efforts for companies. Additionally, we aim to commercialize our technology solutions and expand our footprint across Africa”.
Key insights and proceedings from the NGX’s AGM can be accessed via the live recording available on NGX Group’s website at www.ngxgroup.com.
. . . Firm Declares N4.5bn Dividend For 2023
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has announced that it had received an interim dividend payment of N450 million out the N1.5bn declared by the Waltersmith Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited.
The NCDMB made the disclosure on Monday, adding that the payment represented NCDMB’s 30% share in the company for the year ended 2023.
Recall that the NCDMB had in July 2018 invested $10m to acquire 30% stake in the 5000 barrels-per-day (bpd) modular refinery project located at Ibigwe, Imo State, to support the Federal Government’s policy on modular refinery, stimulate investment and create employment opportunities.
Rising from a Board Meeting of Waltersmith Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited, the Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omotsola Ogbe confirmed that a total dividend of N4.5bn had been approved for the year 2023, pending final approval at the Annual General Meeting (AGM).
The company reported a total profit of N23.6bn as profit after tax for the same year.
The Executive Secretary hinted that NCDMB expects to receive additional 30 percent of the outstanding N3bn dividend after the AGM is convened later this year.
He added that the receipt of this interim dividend payment was a testament to the strong performance and profitability of Waltersmith Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited.
He said, “The NCDMB is proud to be a part of this success and looks forward to continued collaboration with the company in the future.”
He affirmed that the company was upscaling the refinery capacity from 5000 bpd to 10,000bpd and the expansion project was already 44 percent completed and on time to be commissioned by early 2025.
The NCDMB’s investment in the Waltersmith project was also geared to catalyse the industrialisation of the Nigerian oil and gas industry and its linkage sectors and deepen Nigerian Content in the oil and gas industry. It was the first third-party investment embarked by the Board, and it provided proof of concept and paved the way for other successful investments by the Board.
Two weeks ago, NCDMB received a cheque of $1 million from Nedogas Development Company Limited (NDCL), being part of the return on investment (ROI) on one of the Board’s strategic investments.
The cheque was presented by the Chairman of the company, Engr. Emeka Ene when he visited the Nigerian Content Tower in Yenagoa Bayelsa State, where he was received by the Executive Secretary, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe and other members of the Board’s management.
Nedogas Development Company Limited (NDCL) is a joint venture company between Xenergi Limited and NCDMB Capacity Development Intervention Company and it culminated in the construction and commissioning of a 300 MMscfd Capacity Kwale Gas Gathering (KGG) and injection facility located in the Umusam Community, near Kwale in Delta State, Niger Delta, Nigeria.
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