Author: Julius Alagbe
Julius Alagbe is a senior financial journalist and Editor at MarketForces Africa with nearly two decades of experience in finance, accounting, and economics reporting.He is one of Nigeria's most prolific financial market reporters, covering capital markets, monetary policy, corporate earnings, banking, telecoms, and macroeconomic developments across Africa.Julius has built a strong footprint reporting on Nigeria's leading corporates and financial services sector, including coverage of the Nigerian Exchange Group, Central Bank of Nigeria monetary operations, MTN Nigeria, GTCO, and major investment banking transactions.He regularly monitors the CBN’s open market operations, interbank FX markets, and equity market movements, providing readers with real-time intelligence on Nigeria’s financial landscape.His reporting draws on direct access to institutional research from firms including Moody’s Ratings, CardinalStone Securities, Fitch, and other leading African investment houses.Julius brings analytical depth and editorial rigour to every story, making complex financial data accessible to professionals, investors, and policymakers across Africa.Julius Alagbe is based in Lagos, Nigeria.
Ripple (XRP) fell to $1.20 on Wednesday, underperforming a broadly weaker crypto market, driven primarily by a risk-off macro sell-off. The move aligns with Bitcoin’s 2.89% drop, indicating a beta-driven decline amid heightened geopolitical tensions and institutional ETF outflows.
NEAR Protocol (NEARUSD) gained 13% in 24 hours to $2.88, sharply outperforming a declining Bitcoin and broader market, primarily driven by a sector rotation into AI-focused cryptocurrencies.
The naira extends rally against the US dollar, and other crosses at the Nigeria Foreign Exchange Market (NEFM) as data show the country’s external reserves continue to gain momentum.
Consumer spending patterns are shifting in ways that matter deeply to investors and policymakers tracking emerging markets. Digital leisure, encompassing streaming subscriptions, online gaming platforms, and connected device upgrades, is increasingly claiming a larger share of household discretionary budgets.
South African rand (ZAR) is trading steady against crosses on Wednesday as oil prices continue to ease in the global commodity market ahead of the purchasing manager index (PMI) report to be released by S&P Global.
Zcash (ZEC) climbed by about 11% to $604.03, sharply outperforming a declining market, driven primarily by a positive reaction to a swift security fix.
Wema Bank Plc’s market value declined by more than 9% due to heavy sell-offs on the local bourse on Tuesday. Its sharp price depreciation aligned with a broader downturn in the stock market.
Ripple (XRPUSD) is down 6.4% over 24 hours to $1.21 on Tuesday, closely tracking a broader crypto market sell-off that is primarily driven by Bitcoin’s weakness.
Bitcoin (BTC) crashed by 6% to $67.1k amid a sustained exodus of institutional capital from spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and a symbolic sale by a major corporate holder.
The naira rose against the US dollar on Tuesday as demand for international payments declined, with data showing a moderate slide in interbank FX turnover.