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.
The Debt Management Office (DMO) increased rates on Nigerian government bonds across reopened 5- and 7-year papers, amid softer subscription levels.
The Nigerian naira weakened against the US dollar at the foreign exchange market (FX), extending previous losses due to liquidity shortage at the official currency market on Monday.
NGX Plunges, Investors Lose N1.37trn as Sentiment Shifts The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) All-share index and market capitalisation plunged on Monday as investor sentiment shifted from risk-on to risk-off. The local bourse experienced reversed trades across key stocks following a sharp rally that pushed many listed companies’ shares into the overbought zone. The NGX All-Share Index declining 0.94% to settle at 223,602.29 points, pulling the year-to-date return down to +43.69% and erasing ₦1.37 trillion from market capitalisation, which closed at ₦143.97 trillion. Stockbrokers said market breadth was negative at 0.9x, as 40 losers led by FIRSTHOLDCO, TRANSEXPR, UBA, ACCESSCORP, and FIDELITY…
XAUTUSD – Tether Gold Slides as Buying Sentiment Fades Tether Gold (XAUTUSD) slipped 0.77% to $4,668.61, underperforming a slightly negative broader crypto market. The move appears primarily driven by modest outflows in a risk-averse environment, with no clear coin-specific catalyst visible in the provided data. The token underperformed both a flat gold price and a slightly down crypto market. XAUt declined 0.77% while spot gold was virtually unchanged, and Bitcoin fell 0.30%. This underperformance suggests modest selling pressure, likely from investors reducing exposure during a risk-off session in which the total crypto market cap dipped 0.41%. Trading volume fell 6.24%,…
Bitcoin Cash (BCHUSD) price dipped 0.96% to $448.10 on Monday, underperforming a slightly weaker Bitcoin, amid a risk-off rotation away from altcoins ahead of a major Federal Reserve policy decision.
XRP Price Prediction: Could XRP Fade Into Irrelevance Like Cardano As Investors Choose Income with Varntix? XRP is roaring back into the spotlight, but XRP’s price is still not delivering the breakout holders want. Even with ETF optimism and post-SEC momentum, XRP has remained stuck around the $1.30 to $1.45 range, making the latest XRP price prediction debate feel more urgent. If major catalysts still cannot push XRP higher, investors have every reason to ask whether this is turning into another Cardano-style waiting game. That is why investors are choosing Varntix. It offers a digital wealth setup with fixed plans,…
The price of XRP surged to $1.44 as positive momentum formed following the recognition of Ripple’s CEO, Brad Garlinghouse, who received a top leadership award from Harvard.
UBA Surges 15% as Share Price Touches 52-Week High United Bank for Africa (UBA) gained about 15% in the Nigerian stock market week-on-week (WoW) amid increased bargain hunting ahead of its earnings release. Reflecting investors’ positive sentiment, the Pan-African lender’s share price rose to N55 on Friday, briefly touching a 52-week high of N55.20 amidst significant trading activities. The bank’s share price closed at N55, as 43.115 million units of UBA Group, valued at N2.32 billion, were traded on the local bourse. UBA experienced significant trading volume, ranging between 37.539 million and 55.258 million. The market value of UBA Plc.’s…
Nigeria is increasingly becoming a case study for quick returns for foreign investors, according to AAG Capital Limited. In its latest update, the firm referenced recent foreign portfolio investment data for March 2026, published by the Nigerian Exchange.
Monero (XMRUSD) gained 5.24% to $393.92, outpacing Bitcoin’s 1.21% increase. The altcoin gained traction as buyers’ confidence improved. The narrative surrounding Monero is split between its growing reputation as a leading privacy asset and the inherent security challenges shared by proof-of-work blockchains.