Economy

Asian Stocks Recover from Weak Start to Close Broadly Higher

Published

7 years ago

30/10/2018

By Investors Hub

Asian stocks recovered from a weak start to close broadly higher on Tuesday as hopes for Chinese stimulus helped offset fresh worries over the trade war between the U.S. and China.

U.S. President Donald Trump said he thinks there will be ?a great deal? with China on trade but warned of more tariffs if talks next month fail to ease the trade war.

China?s Shanghai Composite Index jumped 25.94 points or 1 percent to 2,568.05 after the securities regulator said it would enhance market liquidity and encourage share buybacks and mergers and acquisitions by listed firms. However, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index dropped 226.51 points or 0.9 percent to 24,585.53.

Japanese shares rose by the most in 2-1/2 months as the yen extended its drop against the dollar and Chinese equities rebounded on fresh attempts by Beijing to stabilize the markets.

The Nikkei 225 Index spiked 307.49 points or 1.5 percent to 21,457.29, marking its biggest single-day gain since mid-August. The broader Topix Index closed 1.4 percent higher at 1,611.46.

Auto companies and banks led the surge, with Honda Motor and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial rising around 2 percent. Machinery maker Yaskawa Electric soared 6.1 percent as Beijing pledged more support for the economy.

Komatsu rallied 6.2 percent after raising its full-year operating profit forecast. Fanuc Corp also advanced 3.4 percent after announcing a special dividend. In the tech sector, Tokyo Electron jumped 6.5 percent and Advantest added 2.2 percent.

In economic news, Japan?s jobless rate fell to 2.3 percent in September from 2.4 percent in August, a government report showed. This was the lowest rate since the early 1990s.

Australian shares rallied to extend gains from the previous session. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index surged up 76.90 points or 1.3 percent to 5,805.10 after jumped 1.1 percent the previous day. The broader All Ordinaries Index advanced 74.10 points or 1.3 percent to 5,887.90.

Firmer copper prices helped lift mining stocks, with heavyweights BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto gaining around 2 percent.

Energy stocks also closed mostly higher even as oil prices dipped for a second day amid signs that Russian oil output will remain high. Beach Energy shares jumped 10.4 percent. In the healthcare sector, infant formula maker Bellamy’s Australia climbed 2.5 percent.

Lender Australia and New Zealand Banking Corp rallied 1.8 percent ahead of its full-year results due Wednesday. Commonwealth and Westpac surged up over 2 percent.

On the other hand, gold miner Evolution Mining lost 2.9 percent and Newcrest dropped 1.5 percent as the precious metal edged lower on dollar strength.

Wealth manager AMP fell 2.1 percent on news that its banking arm will reduce or remove 20 fees to simplify its product offering to customers.

On the data front, Australia’s building approvals rose by seasonally adjusted 3.3 percent in September, slower than the 3.8 percent rise economists had expected, figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed. The increase largely reflects a 9.2 percent rise in private dwellings excluding houses.

Economy

Seven Price Gainers Boost NASD OTC Bourse by 2.19%

Published

16 hours ago

21/02/2026

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

Seven price gainers flipped recent declines at the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange, raising the alternative stock market by 2.19 per cent on Friday.

According to data, the market capitalisation added N51.24 billion to end N2.389 trillion compared with the previous day’s N2.338 trillion, while the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) climbed 85.65 points to close at 3,994.32 points, in contrast to the 3,908.67 points it ended a day earlier.

Business Post reports that the advancers were led by MRS Oil Plc, which improved its value by N13.00 to N200.00 per share from N187.00 per share, FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc gained N7.40 to settle at N91.55 per unit versus the previous day’s N84.15 per unit, Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc appreciated by N6.08 to N71.00 per share from N64.92 per share, Afriland Properties Plc added 66 Kobo to finish at N17.17 per unit versus N16.51 per unit, IPWA Plc rose 37 Kobo to N4.15 per share from N3.78 per share, First Trust Mortgage Bank Plc grew by 11 Kobo to N1.20 per unit from N1.09 per unit, and Food Concepts Plc went up by 10obo to N3.70 per share from N3.60 per share.

On the flip side, there were two price losers led by Geo-Fluids Plc, which depreciated by 28 Kobo to N3.32 per unit from N3.60 per unit, and Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) Plc dropped 5 Kobo to sell at 45 Kobo per share from 50 Kobo per share.

Yesterday, the volume of trades went down by 92.0 per cent to 3.7 million units from 45.8 million units, the value of transactions fell by 59.4 per cent to N84.5 million from N208.2 million, while the number of deals went up by 7.7 per cent to 42 deals from 39 deals.

CSCS Plc remained the most traded stock by value (year-to-date) with 32.6 million units exchanged for N1.9 billion, trailed by Geo-Fluids Plc with 119.6 million units valued at N470.3 million, and Resourcery Plc with 1.05 billion units traded at N408.6 million.

Resourcery Plc closed the day as the most traded stock by volume (year-to-date) with 1.05 billion units sold for N408.7 million, followed by Geo-Fluids Plc with 119.6 million units worth N470.3 million, and CSCS Plc with 32.6 million units worth N1.9 billion.

Economy

FX Demand Worries Weaken Naira to N1,346/$1 at Official Market

Published

17 hours ago

21/02/2026

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Naira weakened further against the United States Dollar in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEX) on Friday, February 20, by N4.97 or 0.37 per cent to N1,346.32/$1 from the N1,341.35/$1 it was transacted on Thursday.

Heightened FX demand tilted the market toward the downside yesterday, exerting upward pressure on rates despite efforts by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to stabilise the foreign exchange market.

Also in the official market, the domestic currency depreciated against the Pound Sterling during the session by N9.39 to sell for N1,815.25/£1 versus the previous day’s N1,805.86/£1, and lost N7.33 against the Euro to close at N1,584.62/€1 compared with the preceding session’s N1,577.29/€1.

The story was not different for the Nigerian Naira at the GTBank FX desk, where it depleted against the Dollar by N7 on Friday to quote at N1,356/$1 versus the N1,349/$1 it was sold a day earlier, but remained unchanged in the black market at N1,370/$1.

It was observed that risky sentiment among Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) contributed to the FX market, amid fears of hot money flight due to capital gains tax and other factors.

As for the cryptocurrency market, it was mostly green yesterday in reaction to a Supreme Court verdict dismissing a fresh 10 per cent global levy by President Donald Trump.

The apex court on Friday described Mr Trump’s global tariff rollout as illegal. The decision did not clarify what should happen to tariff revenue already collected, and it doesn’t necessarily spell the end of the trade agenda, with multiple legal and executive avenues still available.

Litecoin (LTC) grew 2.7 per cent to $55.00, Cardano (ADA) appreciated 2.6 per cent to trade at $0.2815, Binance Coin (BNB) expanded by 2.6 per cent to $627.19, Dogecoin (DOGE) recouped 1.3 per cent to quote at $0.1, Ripple (XRP) jumped 0.7 per cent to $1.43, Solana (SOL) improved by 0.5 per cent to $84.15, and Ethereum (ETH) soared 0.1 per cent to $1,962.78.

However, Bitcoin (BTC) lost 0.2 per cent to sell for $67,850.49, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) traded flat at $1.00 each.

Economy

Fidson, Jaiz Bank, Others Keep NGX in Green Territory

Published

21 hours ago

21/02/2026

Dipo Olowookere

By Dipo Olowookere

A further 0.99 per cent was gained by the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited on Friday after a positive market breadth index supported by 53 price gainers, which outweighed 23 price losers, representing bullish investor sentiment.

During the trading day, the trio of Jaiz Bank, Fidson, and NPF Microfinance Bank chalked up 10.00 per cent each to sell for N11.00, N86.90, and N6.27, respectively, while Deap Capital appreciated by 9.96 per cent to N7.62, and Mutual Benefits increased by 9.94 per cent to N5.42.

Conversely, Secure Electronic Technology shed 10.00 per cent to trade at N1.62, Sovereign Trust Insurance slipped by 9.73 per cent to N2.32, Ellah Lakes declined by 7.91 per cent to N12.80, International Energy Insurance retreated by 5.56 per cent to N3.40, and ABC Transport moderated by 5.26 per cent to N9.00.

Data from Customs Street revealed that the insurance counter was up by 2.52 per cent, the industrial goods sector grew by 2.28 per cent, the banking space expanded by 1.43 per cent, the consumer goods index gained 1.23 per cent, and the energy industry rose by 0.05 per cent.

As a result, the All-Share Index (ASI) went up by 1,916.20 points to 194,989.77 points from 193,073.57 points, and the market capitalisation moved up by N1.230 trillion to N125.164 trillion from Thursday’s N123.934 trillion.

Yesterday, investors traded 820.5 million stocks valued at N28.3 billion in 63,507 deals compared with the 898.5 million stocks worth N38.5 billion executed in 61,953 deals, showing a jump in the number of deals by 2.51 per cent, and a shortfall in the trading volume and value by 8.68 per cent and 26.49 per cent apiece.

Closing the session as the most active equity was Mutual Benefits with 79.0 million units worth N427.1 million, Zenith Bank traded 44.0 million units valued at N3.8 billion, Chams exchanged 43.9 million units for N182.0 million, AIICO Insurance transacted 42.4 million units valued at N179.8 million, and Veritas Kapital sold 36.0 million units worth N90.6 million.