Market Update for May 25
Profit taking resurfaced on the Nigerian Exchange Thursday, as market players continued to interpret the recent macroeconomic reports and impact of the further upward adjustment in Monetary Policy Rate by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the midst of increasing optimism ahead of Monday’s swearing in of a President. Investors remain focused on fundamentally sound stocks that had pulled back after being markdown for dividend, making them to appear cheap and attractive.
These classes of equities continue to attract inflow of funds as many companies announced their dividend payment, even as many more announce their Annual General Meetings details on the exchange, as their dividend payment dates draw near. This is supporting the ongoing dividend income reinvestment in the market arena that had equally enhanced liquidity in the equity space. Despite the topping pattern that support profit taking or selloffs, the better-than-expected Q1 numbers, should guide investors on how reposition heir portfolios ahead of Q2 earnings reporting season.
The NGX All-Share index pulled back to trade at 52,821.64 basis points after breaking out to 52,927.60bps on profit booking and mixed sentiment, thereby halting the four consecutive sessions of bull transition on a low traded volume and flat market breadth. Profit taking was across the major sectors save for oil and gas, amidst profit taking and buying interest in some value companies that continued as investors accumulate position for medium and long view. Also, all eyes are on audited financials of March year-end companies.
The market currently trades above its 20-Day Simple Moving Average and is flat on the 50DMA after the golden cross was short lived by the pullback on the daily chart, while heading to 52,684 level. As market digest the outcome of the CBN’s policy meeting and Q1 GDP data. This calls for caution, but should guide technical traders and discerning investors, based on the dividend yields and low market Price to Earnings Ratio that provide better opportunities for investors to hedge against inflation even when fixed income market yields look attractive and remain mixed in the face of high inflation. Market volatility remains at the extreme on positive sentiment as T-line turned support for index action ahead of the next market forces and statement.
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Oil price oscillation continued, as it pulled back again to trade at $76.14per barrel in the midst short seller flooring the market and fear of US debt ceiling default. As China economic recovery remain weak in the face of central banks rates hike that is driving economic contraction in the midst Ukraine and Russia war. This is in addition to rising geopolitical tension across the globe, the prevailing high interest rate regime and soaring inflation, despite slowing down across the globe remain potent threat to world economy. Also, supply tightened due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict that entered the second year. This up and down movement in oil price, has continued to drive volatility across markets.
Meanwhile, Thursday’s trading opened slightly in the downside and was sustained throughout the session, despite oscillating on profit and position taking in blue chip stocks, a situation that pushed the NGX All-Share Index to an intraday low of 52,723.15bps, from its highs of 52,928.28ps, before closing below it opening figure at 52,821.64 point
Market technicals were negative and mixed with lower volume traded when compared to the previous session in the midst of breadth favoring the bears on a mixed sentiment as revealed by Investdata’s Sentiments Report showing 48% buy position and 52% sell volume. The total transaction volume index stood at 0.57 points, just as momentum behind the day’s performance was strong, with Money Flow Index reads 82.77pts, from the previous day’s 82.99pts, indicating that funds left the market.
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Index and Market Caps
At the end of Thursday’s trading, the composite NGXASI shed 105.96bps, closing at 52,821.64bps, from its 52,927.60bps opening level, representing a 0.20% drop, just as market capitalization fell by N57.70bn to N28.76tr, from the previous day’s N28.82tr, which also represented a 0.20% value loss.
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Thursday’s downturn was driven by profit taking and selloffs in the shares of Geregu, Conoil, Unilever, PZ, Eterna and LASACO among others, which impacted negatively on Year-To-Date gain, reducing it to 3.06%. Market capitalization YTD gain slowed down to N575.24bn, representing 3.03% above its opening level for the year.