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Saturday, October 10, 2020 08:00 AM / Proshare Content / Header Image Credit: EcoGraphics
Nigeria: Economic Dashboard @ 091020
Editor's Pick
Source: Cordros Weekly Economic and Market Report - October 09, 2020
Global Economy
Weighed
down by the novel coronavirus pandemic, Japan's current account (CA) surplus
for August fell from a year earlier for the sixth consecutive month, albeit at
a slower pace as global economic activities gradually resume. According to the
Ministry of Finance, the current account surplus stood at JPY2.10 trillion (Aug
2019: JPY2.14 trillion) compared to market expectations of JPY1.98trillion.
Among key components, the goods account posted a JPY413.20 billion surplus,
from a JPY30.40 billion surplus last year, as imports (-22.0% y/y) contracted
faster than exports (-15.5% y/y). Imports fell mainly due to lower energy
prices while exports fell on lower car exports. Elsewhere, the services
deficit widened to JPY316.60 billion (Aug 2019: JPY1.50 billion). For 2020FY, exports are expected to
contract more than import as overseas demand for Japanese goods falls due to
the global recession. As such, we expect the trade balance as a % of GDP to
plunge into deficit in 2020 compared to a surplus of 0.1% in 2019. This, in
conjunction with the contraction in services, investments and primary income
balance due to the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to significantly narrow the
current account surplus.
Retail sales in the Euro Area grew by 3.7% y/y in August (July: -0.1% y/y)
according to the Eurostat- the highest growth since November 2017. This was
attributable to increased spending due to pent-up demand and higher savings as
countries across the region relaxed COVID-19 containment measures. There was a
surge in mail orders and internet (+23.8% y/y) as well as electrical goods and
furniture (+6.3% y/y). Food, drinks and tobacco which account for c. 39% of the
total retail sales, also grew by 3.2% y/y (July: +1.1% y/y) while
pharmaceutical and medical goods increased by 2.1% y/y (July: -1.8% y/y).
Month-on-Month, the volume of retail trade increased by 4.4% (July: -1.8% m/m).
With unemployment trending
northwards and consumer confidence at historic lows, current levels of spending
are not likely to be sustained beyond a few months, especially if the furlough
and short-time work schemes fade.
Global
equity markets were set to close higher on hopes of more federal fiscal aid and
growing expectations of a Democratic victory in next month's presidential
election, and as a string of mergers and acquisitions as well as a recovery in
beaten-down sectors like banks and energy lifted stocks. Consequently, US
(DJIA: +2.7%; S&P: +2.9%), European (STOXX Europe: +1.9%; FTSE 100: +1.8%),
and Asian (Nikkei 225: +2.6%; SSE: 1.7%) shares were up in the week. Elsewhere,
the Emerging markets (MSCI EM: +3.3%) index was up following a rise in China (+
1.7%) while the frontier markets (MSCI FM: +2.8%) stocks were on track to end
the week higher as Kuwaiti stocks surged 5.8% w/w.
Nigeria
Nigeria's
Current Account (CA) recorded its eighth consecutive quarterly deficit in Q2-20
at USD3.23 billion. The deficit was largely underpinned by a 36.4% q/q decline
in current transfers (USD3.91 billion) and a much larger trade deficit (+181.4%
q/q to USD3.74 billion) which offset the decline in services (-67.6% q/q) and
income payments (-66.9% q/q). Current transfers, which historically have helped
cushion the deterioration in the country's CA, was the lowest since at least
2008 as the COVID-19 pandemic led to a reduction in wages and employment of
Nigerians abroad, thus, limiting their ability to remit money home. Looking ahead, we expect further
deterioration in the CA, hinged on the trade balance remaining in deficit and
slow recovery in remittances.
The COVID-19 containment measures had its attendant effect on Government
finances following the decline in economic activities in Q2-20. According to
the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), States Internally Generated Revenue
(IGR) declined by 26.5% q/q to NGN259.7 billion in Q2-20, following a decline
in all the IGR components save for Other Taxes (+3.8% q/q). MDAs revenue
(-42.0% q/q) declined the most followed by Direct Assessment taxes (-41.8%
q/q), Road taxes (-38.0% q/q) and PAYE (-27.0% q/q). The decline was expected
as the lockdown led to reduced staff salaries and diminished corporate profits.
As such, the ability of states to generate revenue during the period was
limited. On a y/y basis, IGR declined by 11.7% y/y to NGN612.87 billion in
H1-20. The ability to
generate more taxes is limited given the gloomy growth and employment outlook.
Therefore, we expect FY-20 IGR to print below the FY-19 level (NGN1.33
trillion), resulting in state governments relying more on Federal allocations.
Despite
some profit-taking towards the end of the week, record gains at the start of
the week drove the equities market beyond the 28,000-point mark and to its
largest weekly gain since May. Notably, investors' interest in MTNN (+8.1%),
AIRTELAFRI (+7.8%), and DANGCEM (+4.2%) drove the benchmark index 5.3% higher,
w/w, to 28,415.31 points. The MTD and YTD return for the index grew to 5.9%.
The Banking (+7.8%) index topped the sectoral charts, following gains in
ZENITHBANK (+10.8%) and GUARANTY (+4.8%), followed by the Industrial Goods
(+2.7%), Consumer Goods (+2.0%), Oil & Gas (+2.0%), and Insurance (+2.0%)
indices.
We expect the market might
continue to benefit as domestic investors seek alpha-yielding opportunities in
the face of increasingly negative real returns in the fixed income market.
However, we advise investors to trade in only fundamentally justified stocks as
the weak macro environment remains a significant headwind for listed companies.
Activity
in the Treasury bills secondary market reversed, as bullish trading returned to
the market. The performance was supported by increased participation by retail
investors and the improved system liquidity. Thus, the average yield across all
instruments contracted by 50bps to 1.4%. Across the segments, average yield
contracted by 53bps and 45bps to 1.4% and 1.4%, at the OMO and NTB secondary
markets, respectively.
Considering the abysmal
level of yields at the T-bills market, we expect lethargic demand for
instruments in this space. At the NTB segment, we expect market participants to
shift their focus to the primary market, where the CBN will be rolling over
NGN104.88 billion worth of maturities.
Trading
in the Treasury bonds secondary market remained bullish, as investors
re-invested the excess liquidity in the system. Consequently, the average yield
across instruments contracted by 58bps to 6.3%. Across the benchmark curve, the
short (-32bps), mid (-96bps) and long (-55bps) segments all recorded
significant demand, as investors bought up the JAN-2026 (-127bps), FEB-2028
(-149bps) and JUL-2034 (-77bps) bonds, respectively.
With system liquidity
expected to improve next week, we expect sustained demand for bonds, as
investors seek relatively favourable investible instruments.
Nigeria's
FX reserves declined by USD16.75 million w/w to USD35.73 billion, as FX outflows
outpaced inflows. Across the FX windows, the naira traded flat at NGN385.83/USD
against the US dollar at the I&E window, while it strengthened by 1.8% to
NGN457.00/USD in the parallel market. In the Forwards market, the naira
strengthened across the 3-month (+0.1% to NGN387.65/USD), 6-month (+0.2% to
NGN389.90/USD) and 1-year (+0.6% to NGN397.39/USD) contracts, while the 1-month
(NGN386.39/USD) was flat.
Despite the CBN's stronger
commitment towards exchange rate unification, we still see legroom for the
currency to depreciate further in the medium-to-long term, at least towards its
REER derived fair value. Our prognosis is hinged on (1) the widening current
account (CA) position, (2) currency mispricing, which could induce speculative
attacks on the naira, and (3) the resumption of FX sales to the BDC segment of
the market which should place an additional layer of pressure on the reserves.
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Latest Reports This Past Week
2. Lagos State Accounted for 78.94% of Credit by Geographical
Distribution in Q2 2020 - NBS
3. States Generated N612.87bn as IGR in H1 2020 - NBS
4. NBS Publishes COVID-19 Impact Monitoring Survey
Report for August 2020
5. 2,080 Road Traffic Crashes Occurred in Q2 2020 - NBS
6. 33,448,633MWh of Energy Generated in 2019 - NBS
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