Currencies
U.S dollar sheds some gains, stimulus measures weaken the greenback
The U.S. Dollar Index dropped by 0.02% to trade at 95.090 at the time of this report.

Published
8 months agoon

The U.S dollar lost some of its earlier gains recorded on Wednesday, as currency traders retreated from the safe-haven asset, following struggles by the U.S. to reach a consensus on further stimulus measures.
The U.S. Dollar Index that tracks the greenback against a bouquet of other major currencies dropped by 0.02% to trade at 95.090 at the time this report was drafted.
Yesterday saw the U.S. legislative chambers continuing discussions to extend stimulus packages like unemployment benefits, which are due to expire at the end of this month, and provide more funding for America’s schools.
READ ALSO: Gold shines on as investors rush to safe haven assets
“You could say the dollar is weaker due to a risk-on move,” Shane Oliver, head of investment strategy and chief economist at AMP Capital Investors, told Reuters.
This is also coming on the sentiments that European fiscal officials have tentatively reached an agreement on a EUR750 billion stimulus package.
READ MORE: BTC whale moves 10,250 BTC valued at $95,000,000
Stephen Innes, Chief Global Market Strategist at AxiCorp, in a note to Nairametrics, placed vital attention on the FOMC meeting that many currency traders are keenly waiting for. He said:
“The stock market is exciting, but the monetization proxies are exploding higher and with EU Summit finally over, the market is turning the focus to the July 29 FOMC meeting.
“Recent speeches and statements give traders the impression that the Fed is itching to do something again, just four months since their record interventions in March.
“The FOMC’s appetite to keep the pedal to the metal is staunch. Whether this means an imminent announcement of more formalized and aggressive forward guidance is hard to say. But one thing that I feel safe to say is that USD longs should be a lot more panicky than USD shorts.”
What it means: The U.S. Dollar Index tracks the American dollar against a basket of other major currencies (like the Japanese yen, British pound sterling, Swedish Krona, Euro), Individuals hoping to meet foreign exchange payment obligations, via dollar transactions to countries like Europe, and Japan, would need to pay more dollars in fulfilling such payment obligations.
Olumide Adesina is a France-born Nigerian. He is a Certified Investment Trader, with more than 15 years of working expertise in Investment trading. Follow Olumide on Twitter @tokunboadesina. He is a Member of the Chartered Financial Analyst Society.


Currencies
Naira strengthens at NAFEX window as dollar supply improves in forex market
Naira appreciated against the US Dollar on Thursday as it closed at N406.50 to a dollar at the NAFEX window.

Published
8 hours agoon
March 5, 2021
The exchange rate between the naira and the US Dollar closed at N406.50/$1, at the Investors and Exporters window on Thursday.
Naira appreciated against the US Dollar on Thursday as it closed at N406.50 to a dollar at the NAFEX window, representing a 1.1% gain when compared to N411 recorded on the previous trading day as dollar supply improves in the forex market.
Meanwhile, the naira remained stable against the dollar to close at N480/$1 on Thursday, March 4, 2021. This was the same rate that it closed on the previous trading day.
The forex turnover at the Investor and Exporters (I&E) window dropped by 44% from $59.17 million recorded on Tuesday to $33.15 million on Wednesday, March 3, 2021.
READ: Naira gains at NAFEX window as external reserve plunges $1.1 billion in less than a month
Trading at the official NAFEX window
The Naira appreciated against the US Dollar at the Investors and Exporters window on Thursday to close at N406.50/$1. This represents a N4.50 gain when compared to N411 recorded on the previous trading day.
- The opening indicative rate closed at N411.10 to a dollar on Thursday. This represents a 44 kobo drop when compared to N410.66/$1 recorded on Wednesday.
- Also, an exchange rate of N427.45 to a dollar was the highest rate during intra-day trading before it closed at N406.50/$1. It also sold for as low as N389.25/$1 during intra-day trading.
- Forex turnover at the Investor and Exporters (I&E) window rose by 102% on Thursday, March 4, 2021.
- According to the data tracked by Nairametrics from FMDQ, forex turnover increased from $33.15 million recorded on Wednesday, March 3, 2021, to $66.99 million on Thursday, March 4, 2021.
READ: Nigeria’s ratings risk downgrade over rising debt and lower revenue
Cryptocurrency watch
The world’s largest cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, after yesterday’s rally, dropped by 7.60% to close above $46,000 compared to its previous closing at about $51,000.
- The digital currency had earlier slipped 3% in early US trading on Thursday, hovering around $49,000.
- Prices have surged almost 600% since the start of 2020 on the back of wider mainstream adoption, with bulls seeing it as both an inflation hedge and speculative asset.
- Jesse Powell, the CEO of Kraken Exchange, in an interview with Bloomberg Television, said Bitcoin could reach $1 million in the next decade, adding that supporters say it could eventually replace all of the major fiat currencies
- Bitcoin was trading below $44,000 earlier this week, having hit an all-time high the week before above $58,000. Its rebound suggest the third great price rally in its history may still be underway
- Meanwhile, Ether ETH=BTSP, the coin linked to the Ethereum blockchain network, dropped by 6.9% to $1,478.17 on Thursday.
READ: Nigeria’s foreign reserves fall to 6-weeks low, lose $81.10 million
Oil price decline
Brent Crude oil rose by $2.67 on Thursday evening to close at $66.74 representing a 4.2% increase when compared to $64.07 recorded on the previous trading day.
- Saudi Arabia and its OPEC+ allies shocked the oil market with a decision to keep the supply in check, sending prices surging and adding inflationary pressure to the global economy as it emerges from the pandemic.
- A year after a bitter price war that sent crude crashing below zero, Saudi Arabia showed that its priority is preserving the hard-won oil recovery rather than worrying about tightening the market too much.
- That means the cartel will still be withholding about 7 million barrels a day from the market, equivalent to about 7% of global demand, even as fuel consumption recovers in many countries.
- WTI Crude closed at $64.39 (0.88%), OPEC Basket $62.15 (+0.29%), Bonny Light $66.12 (+4.77%), and Natural Gas $2,743 (-0.11%).
External reserve dips to lowest in two months
Nigeria’s external reserve continued its decline as it dropped by 0.12% to $34.915 billion as of March 3, 2021, compared to $34.957 billion recorded as of March 2, 2021.
- This represents the lowest external reserve position Nigeria has recorded in over two-months when it stood at $34.98 billion as of 24, December 2020.
- It is also worth noting that Nigeria lost over $1.2 billion in external reserves in the month of February.
- The decline in Nigeria’s external reserve has persisted in the month of February, despite rallying oil prices in the month. This is a cause for worry, as Nigeria will hope to boost its reserve in order to meet up with its accumulated needs, hindered by the crash in oil prices earlier in 2020.
Currencies
Naira gains at NAFEX window as oil prices rally back
The exchange rate between the naira and the US Dollar closed at N411/$1, at the Investors and Exporters window on Wednesday.

Published
1 day agoon
March 4, 2021
The exchange rate between the naira and the US Dollar closed at N411/$1, at the Investors and Exporters window on Wednesday.
Naira appreciated marginally against the US Dollar on Wednesday as it closed at N411 to a dollar at the NAFEX window, representing a 0.15% gain when compared to N411.63 recorded on the previous trading day. This is as oil prices rallied back at the global market.
Meanwhile, the naira remained stable against the dollar to close at N480/$1 on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. This was the same rate that it closed on the previous trading day.
The forex turnover at the Investor and Exporters (I&E) window dropped by 44% from $59.17 million recorded on Tuesday to $33.15 million on Wednesday, March 3, 2021.
Trading at the official NAFEX window
The Naira appreciated against the US Dollar at the Investors and Exporters window on Wednesday to close at N411/$1. This represents a 63 kobo gain when compared to N411.63 recorded on the previous trading day.
- The opening indicative rate closed at N410.66 to a dollar on Wednesday. This represents a 55 kobo drop when compared to N410.11/$1 recorded on Tuesday.
- Also, an exchange rate of N415 to a dollar was the highest rate during intra-day trading before it closed at N411/$1. It also sold for as low as N390/$1 during intra-day trading.
- Forex turnover at the Investor and Exporters (I&E) window dropped by 43.97% on Wednesday, March 3, 2021.
- According to the data tracked by Nairametrics from FMDQ, forex turnover declined from $59.17 million recorded on Tuesday, March 2, 2021, to $33.15 million on Wednesday, March 3, 2021.
Cryptocurrency watch
The world’s largest cryptocurrency, Bitcoin rallied back above $50,000 on Wednesday to close above $51,000 compared to its previous closing of $48,814.26 as it recovers from one of the most severe dips in its history.
- The cryptocurrency rose by as much as 11% as bullish momentum returned after last week’s selloff, reaching the highest level in 2 weeks.
- The cryptocurrency has been volatile with prices plunging 21% last week before recovering with the earlier broad bounce back in global equities. On a technical basis, the GTI Global Strength Indicator, which detects trend fluctuations, has begun to curl upward, suggesting a bullish move for Bitcoin.
- Bitcoin was trading below $44,000 earlier this week, having hit an all-time high the week before above $58,000. Its rebound suggest the third great price rally in its history may still be underway
- Meanwhile, Ether ETH=BTSP, the coin linked to the Ethereum blockchain network, dropped by 6% to $1,612.4 on Wednesday.
Oil price decline
Brent Crude oil rose by $1.06 on Wednesday to close at $64.07 representing a 1.7% increase when compared to $63.01 recorded on the previous trading day.
- Oil prices rose on Wednesday, following reports that the OPEC+ group could be weighing the possibility not to increase collective oil production from April as widely expected and despite a shockingly large crude build (the largest on record) as estimated on Wednesday by the EIA, oil prices were still holding strong.
- The OPEC+ alliance is considering keeping the oil production cuts from March in place in April as well, in view of the still-fragile global demand recovery.
- Also, a US government report showed a record drop in domestic fuel inventories from the aftermath of a deep freeze that shuttered refineries in several states.
- WTI Crude closed at $60.91 (0.60%), OPEC Basket $61.97 (-3.53%), Bonny Light $63.11 (-0.64%), and Natural Gas $2,800 (+0.57%).
External reserve dips to lowest in two months
Nigeria’s external reserve continued its decline as it dropped by 0.12% to $34.957 billion as of March 2, 2021, compared to $34.998 billion recorded as of March 1, 2021.
- This represents the lowest external reserve position Nigeria has recorded in over two-months when it stood at $34.98 billion as of 24, December 2020.
- It is also worth noting that Nigeria lost over $1.2 billion in external reserves in the month of February.
- The decline in Nigeria’s external reserve has persisted in the month of February, despite rallying oil prices in the month. This is a cause for worry, as Nigeria will hope to boost its reserve in order to meet up with its accumulated needs, hindered by the crash in oil prices earlier in 2020.
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