Stock Investors Lose N518 Billion After CBN Raises Interest Rate

The Nigerian stock market shed N518 billion on Tuesday after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) raises interest rate by 150 basis points to 13% to curb the rising inflation rate and sustain capital importation.

Activity at the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) rose over 200% as many stock investors sell off their holdings in anticipation of the projected decline in activities. Investors traded 720,192,027 shares worth N8.867 billion in 6,006 deals during the trading hours of Tuesday, against 263,338,835 shares worth N3.549 billion that exchanged hands in 4,549 billion Monday.

Ecobank topped the most traded stocks with 257,627,691 shares worth 2,963,644,505.25, explaining one of the reasons for the surge in the value traded. Jaiz Bank followed with  77,998,899 shares valued at N69,741,125.75.

The selloff was largely due to the CBN-led monetary policy decision to raise the nation’s borrowing cost. This, stock investors interpreted as a future drop in capital inflow into the Nigeria stock market and subsequently slow down in economic activities.

The market capitalisation of listed stocks depreciated by N518 billion to N28.007 trillion, down from N28.525 trillion it closed on Monday. The NGX All-Share Index also declined by 1.82% to 51,949.64 index points.

Japaul Gold led gainers with N0.03 or 10% gainers to close at N0.33 a share as shown below.

Top Gainers 

Top Losers 

Top Trades