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.

South Africa Rand Slips as Geopolitical Twist Favours US Dollar

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South Africa Rand Slips as Geopolitical Twist Favours US Dollar South African Rand slipped against the US dollar, the euro, and the British pound on Wednesday as a geopolitical twist boosted demand for safe-haven assets. In its morning brief, First National Bank (FNB) told investors that the rand traded slightly weaker as investors favoured the US dollar amid evidence of continued resilience in the US economy and renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. ZAR weakened as US trade data highlighted strong import demand and ongoing business investment, while concerns over energy supply disruptions resurfaced after a Qatari LNG vessel…

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Crypto Market Falls 2% as US-Iran Tensions Re-ignite Selloffs

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Crypto Market Falls 2% as US-Iran Tensions Re-ignite Selloffs The total cryptocurrency market capitalisation fell by approximately 2% to $2.14 trillion on Wednesday due to heightened tensions between the United States and Iran. The crypto market is experiencing a rush of selling as investors begin to take early exits from top digital assets amid geopolitical tensions triggered by Washington and Iran. Bitcoin dropped to $62,000, while Ethereum decreased by 0.77% to $1,760. Other leading cryptocurrencies are also struggling as investor sentiment shifts to a risk-off approach. All market sectors declined, with the DeFi sector experiencing the largest drop at 9%,…

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Oil Prices Edge Higher on Fresh US, Iran Tensions

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Oil Prices Edge Higher on Fresh US, Iran Tensions Oil prices climbed more than 3% on Wednesday as investors feared supply disruptions after the US launched fresh strikes on Iran, commercial vessels came under attack in the Strait of Hormuz, and Washington tightened restrictions on Iranian oil exports. International benchmark Brent crude traded at $76.64 per barrel at 9.37 a.m. local time (0637 GMT), up around 3.3% from the previous close of $74.16. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose about 3.3% to $72.83 per barrel from $70.44 in the previous session. The latest escalation revived concerns over the security…

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