Categories: Business

Rates moderation expected, on improved financial system liquidity

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There are high expectations that improvement in financial system liquidity last week as a result of inflows especially from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursements will continue this week, keeping rates moderate.

Last week, treasury bills worth N117.48 billion were auctioned via primary market, viz: 91-day billsworthN45.85 billion (stop rate rose remainedat13.99 per cent), 182-day bills worth N18 billion (stop rate rose17.49 per cent from17.40 per cent) and 364-day bills worth N53.33 billion (stop rate fell to 18.69 per cent from 18.70 per cent).

In line with our dealers’ expectations, interbank rates fell across all the tenor buckets following FAAC disbursements.

Dealers from Cowry Assets Management Limited said this week “treasury bills worth N105.264 billion will mature via secondary market, viz: 224-day bills worth N49.168 billion and 225-day bills worth N56.095 billion. Consequently, we anticipate further moderation in interbank rates on the back of expected improvement in financial system liquidity.

“We expect appreciation in secondary market bond prices on the back of expected improvement in banking system liquidity. In the Eurobond segment we also expect price appreciations from bargain hunters on the back of improvement in Nigerian foreign reserve occasioned by a rise in crude oil prices.”

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s overnight interbank lending rate fell to 10 per cent on Friday from 14 per cent a week ago as October budget allocations to government agencies reached the banking system.

Nigeria distributed N420 billion ($1.33 billion) to its three tiers of government for October last week, with some portion passing through the banking system.

Traders said the central bank sold treasury bills on Wednesday to soak up some of the liquidity, but the amount sold was not enough to affect lending rates.

They also said the regulator offered to sell more bills on Friday, but most lenders declined to participate, choosing to hold cash because of the frequency of withdrawals from their customer accounts.

Traders expect money market rates to stay flat next week as activity slows towards the end of the year.

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