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.

Zenith Bank Hits 52-Week High, Market Cap Now N4.2trn Zenith Bank Plc recorded a sharp gain in the stock market as investors ramped up the financial services company’s shares ahead of the 2025 earnings release. The broader market rally and rising investor sentiment continue to drive the share prices of fundamentally strong banking names upward. According to trading data from the Nigerian Exchange, the banking giant’s share price hit a 52-week high, supported by strong trading volume of 59.953 units valued at N5.956 billion. Zenith Bank’s market value increased by 7.35% amid a significant rise in market activity, reflecting strategic…

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XRP Gains 8% to $1.53 as Trading Volume Spikes Ripple (XRP) price surged by 8.03% to $1.53 over the past 24h, significantly outpacing Bitcoin’s 3.36% gain, driven by broad sector rotation into altcoins. The rebound has been significant with improved trading volume. Trading signals and market trend signalled that capital was flowing from Bitcoin into higher-beta altcoins. XRP, as a major liquid alt, saw volume spike 174% to $4.26 billion, confirming strong buying interest amid this rotation. The rally is less about XRP-specific news and more about a market-wide risk-on shift toward altcoins. The key trigger is the sustainability of…

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