Forex turnover improved significantly by 154% as Nigeria’s exchange rate at the NAFEX window remained stable against the dollar to close at N386/$1 during intraday trading on Friday, October 23.
Also, the naira remained stable against the dollar, closing at N463/$1 at the parallel market on Friday, October 23, 2020, as more states across the country impose curfew due to outbreak of violence.
READ: Naira falls at black market, violence erupts across the country from #EndSARS protests
This is also as businesses shut down due to the outbreak of violence in some parts of the country including Lagos during the protest against the special anti-robbery unit (SARS) and police brutality by the Nigerian youth.
Parallel market: According to information from Abokifx, a prominent FX tracking website, at the black market where forex is traded unofficially, the Naira remained stable against the dollar to close at N463/$1 on Friday. This was the same rate that it exchanged for on Thursday, October 22.
Explore Data on the Nairametrics Research Website
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- The local currency had strengthened by about 7.8% within the one week in September at the black market, as the CBN introduced some measures targeted at exporters and importers, in order to try to boost the supply of dollars in the foreign exchange market, and reduce the high demand for forex by traders. The measure
- The CBN has sold over $500 million to BDCs since they resumed forex sales on Monday, September 7, 2020. This was expected to inject more liquidity to the retail end of the foreign exchange market and discourage hoarding and speculation.
- However, the exchange rate against the dollar has remained volatile after the initial gains made, following the CBN’s resumption of sales of dollars to the BDCs.
- The President of the Association of Bureau De Change Operators, Aminu Gwadebe, said he expects the impact of the extra liquidity in the market to be gradual.
- Despite the drop in speculative buying of foreign exchange, the huge demand backlog by manufacturers and foreign investors still puts pressure and creates a volatile situation in the foreign exchange market.
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NAFEX: The Naira remained stable against the dollar at the Investors and Exporters (I&E) window on Friday, closing at N386/$1.
- This was the same rate that it exchanged for on Thursday, October 22.
- The opening indicative rate was N386 to a dollar on Friday. This represents a 13 kobo gain when compared to the N386.13 that was recorded on Thursday.
- The N393.13 to a dollar is the highest rate during intraday trading before it closed at N386 to a dollar. It also sold for as low as N380/$1 during intraday trading.
READ: Exchange rate weakens at NAFEX window as dollar supply continues its decline
Forex turnover: Forex turnover at the Investor and Exporters (I&E) window increased significantly by 154.3% on Friday, October 23, 2020.
- According to the data tracked by Nairametrics from FMDQ, forex turnover rose from $77.62 million on Thursday, October 22, 2020, to $197.42 million on Friday, October 23, 2020.
- The CBN is still struggling to clear the backlog of foreign exchange demand, especially by foreign investors wishing to repatriate back their funds.
- The increase in dollar supply after a record drop reinforces the volatility of the foreign exchange market. The supply of dollars has been on a decline for months due to low oil prices and the absence of foreign capital inflow into the country.
- As part of the measure to check forex abuse and check illegal transactions, the CBN last month directed the freezing of accounts of about 38 companies.
- The average daily forex sale for last week was about $169.93 million, which represents a huge increase from the $34.5 million that was recorded the previous week.
- Total forex trading at the NAFEX window in the month of August was about $857 million, compared to $937 million in July.
- The exchange rate is still being affected by low oil prices, dollar scarcity, a backlog of forex demand and a shaky economy that has been hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
- According to Reuters, currency traders said that the naira is expected to be stable this week as banks limit foreign exchange transactions by both firms and individual buyers on the unofficial black market to curb speculation.
Buhari and Emefiele the devilish combination that destroyed the naira which they met at 190 and now sell to Abokis ALONE to make maximum profit while impoverishing the vast majority of Nigerians. Emefiele infamously blocked access to cheaper rice by crucifying rice importers saying they squander at least 500billion on rice. Now that he has stopped the so called squandering, rice is costlier, the naira worse off against the dollar. Where is the dollar saved by refusing access to rice, sugar importers and all the likes or is it still “corruption fighting back?” APC is a contraption of evil minds intent on destroying the Nigerian masses. See COVID palliatives stored and forgotten in warehouses and private houses by APC evil leaders.