- Naira Hovers Around N1,380 as Interbank FX Turnover Surges
- XRP Dives to $1.03 as Strobe Finance Shutdown Erodes Confidence
- Ethereum Price Slips 4% as Investors Liquidate Positions
- Bitcoin Price Slides to $59k as US Inflation Stokes Selloffs
- Only 20% of POS Operators Registered- CAC Chairman
- FG Finally Hands Over Enugu Airport to Concessionaires
- We’re Rebuilding Abuja, Building Trust, Restoring Hope in Governance – Tinubu
- FG Signs 2026 Performance Pact to Promote Investment, Trade Expansion
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 naira drifted against the US dollar at the official window on Friday, reflecting a momentary shift in foreign currency liquidity amid a surge in demand.
Fitch Ratings has affirmed Angola’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency (LTFC) Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at ‘B-‘ with a stable outlook. Angola’s ratings reflect weak governance indicators, high inflation, high levels of foreign-currency-denominated government debt and one of the highest commodity dependences among Fitch-rated sovereigns, Fitch said.
Fitch Upgrades Ghana to ‘B’; Outlook Positive Fitch Ratings has upgraded Ghana’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency (LTFC) Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to ‘B’ from ‘B-‘, with a positive outlook. The upgrade reflects a sharp fall in public debt/GDP, supported by robust real GDP growth, substantial fiscal consolidation efforts, and currency appreciation, as well as a marked increase in international reserves that lowers external liquidity risks. According to the rating note, the positive outlook reflects expectation of continued fiscal prudence underpinned by improved public financial management, further normalisation of macroeconomic conditions evidenced by an expected decline in average inflation and a further building…
S&P Global Ratings affirmed its ‘CCC+’ long-term and ‘C’ short-term sovereign credit ratings on Burkina Faso, with a stable outlook accorded.
Oil prices posted weekly losses of about 7% on Friday as growing optimism over a possible US-Iran agreement overshadowed persistent geopolitical tensions and supply risks in the Middle East.
XRP rose slightly on Friday as investors returned to position amidst X’s strategic decision to integrate Ripple’s live price charts for tracking movement. Trading data showed XRP gained 0.34% to settle at $1.39, following earlier reported profit-taking by retail investors in the crypto market.
South African Rand momentum eased against Western currencies as US-Iran clashes reverse market optimism. The United States and Iran exchanged fire on Thursday in the most serious test yet of their month-long ceasefire, but Iran said the situation returned to normal.
Stoked by negative sentiment, Bitcoin (BTC). Ethereum (ETH) and Ripple (XRP) prices declined on Friday amid US-Iran tensions, triggering a fresh cryptocurrency selloff.
Global markets retreated as the geopolitical tensions’ shockwave stoked sell pressure across major exchanges. Escalating US-Iran ceasefire tensions dominated global markets, First National Bank (FNB) said in a morning brief.
Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) has announced plans to raise funds in the international debt capital markets to repay a 2031 maturing borrowing note.