Business News
SEC Vows to Protect Capital Market Investors
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC has restated its determination to ensure that investors in the Capital market are adequately protected in all transactions.
Acting Director General of the SEC, Ms.
Mary Uduk stated this during a meeting with the Association of Corporate Trustees in Abuja, Wednesday.
Uduk, who was represented by Acting Executive Commissioner, Operations of the SEC, Mr.
Isyaku Tilde, said it was the responsibility of the commission to ensure that investors were not short- changed in any transactions in the market and therefore, urged them to participate in the market to ensure its growth.She said it was to this end that the Commission was taking steps to reduce transaction costs in a bid to ensure that investors did not bear unnecessary costs.
“We are doing a lot to boost investors’ confidence in our market. But I want to say that both local and foreign investors are very good for the market. For instance, the foreign investors, because they trade their shares all of the time it leads to price discovery as against the local investors that just takes a long term view on their investments.
“Investors’ fears can be of two folds, firstly they could be afraid because they feel that capital market operators will mismanage their investments, secondly is looking at the volatility of the market that makes investors sceptical.
“For the first scenario, we have a number of initiatives that we have put in place to boost investors’ confidence. We have the E-Dividend mandate system, the Direct Cash Settlement as well as multiple subscription in place. For the second category, investors have to take ownership of their investments. They have to be able to monitor their investments, attend Annual General Meetings as well as read the annual reports sent out to them”, Uduk explained.
The Acting DG said investors were also protected through the National Investors Protection Fund (NIPF) Risk Based supervision that enables the SEC to supervise the operators to ensure that they do not do what they are not supposed to do.
According to her, the Complaints Management Framework enables investors to know where to complain to and how long it takes for such complaints to be resolved. For the investors that were aversed to risk, she advised them seek services of financial advisers to guide them on how to properly invest.
“We also advise retail investors to invest in Collective Investment Schemes and Mutual Funds because those are managed independently by professionals and they are diversified thereby reducing risks. We are committed to protecting investors in the work we do.
“We will keep working on our rules and the possibility of amending them when the need arises, we want more transparency in the market so that investors will feel comfortable and the market can be better.” the DG added.
In her remarks, President of the Association, Mrs. Tokunboh Ajayi said members of the association are committed to attracting investors to the market without encumbering them with costs and commended the SEC on its efforts in transaction costs reduction.
“This market is dynamic and that is why as a group we keep on evolving and devising ways to make the market better. We will continue to render our best and ensure our members operate within the confines of the rules and regulations in the market” she stated.
Investors at the stock market of the Nigerian Exchange Ltd. (NGX) yesterday lost N16 billion due to sell-offs in medium and largely capitalised stocks.
The NGX All Share Index (ASI) decreased by 29.35 basis points or 0.05 per cent to close at 54,886.04 basis points from 54,915.39 recorded on Friday.
Similarly, the market capitalisation lost N16 billion to close at N29.
Analysing by sectors, the NGX Banking Index added 1.3 per cent, and NGX Industrial Goods appreciated by 0.1 per cent.
Also, the Insurance Index down by 0.
5 per cent and NGX Consumer Goods Index depreciated by 0.4 per cent, while the NGX Oil & Gas index closed flat.Meanwhile, market breadth, which is measured by market sentiment was positive, as 19 stocks gained relative to 14 losers.
Access Holdings recorded the highest price gain of 7.14 per cent to close at N9.00, per share.
Cutix followed with a gain of 5.69 per cent to close at N2.23, while University Press appreciated by 5.53 per cent to close at N2.10, per share.
Custodian Investment went up by 5.17 per cent to close at N6.10, while Chams Holding Company appreciated by 4.17 per cent to close at 25k, per share.
Conversely, Ikeja Hotel led the losers’ chart by 9.52 per cent to close at N1.14, per share.
Wapic Insurance followed with a decline of 9.52 per cent to close at 38k, while Stanbic IBTC Holdings went down by 8.52 to close at N36.50, per share.
Multiverse Mining and Exploration lost 5.80 per cent to close at N3.25, while Livestock Feeds shed 5.50 per cent to close at N1.03, per share.
The total volume traded went up by 646.50 per cent to 1.172 billion units, valued at N2.877 billion, and exchanged in 3,066 deals.
Transactions in the shares of Neimeth Pharmaceutical topped the activity chart with 1.069 billion shares valued at N1.581 billion.
United Bank for Africa (UBA) followed with 15.964 million shares worth N128.784 million, while Access Holdings traded 13.033 million shares valued at N114.365 million.
Transnational Corporation (Transcorp) traded 11.770 million shares valued at N15.257 million, while Zenith Bank transacted 9.861 million shares worth N243.759 million.
Analysts at InvestmentOne Research said, “The equities market recorded a negative performance today due to the slumping prices printed in the Consumer Goods sector.
“Going forward, we expect investor’s sentiments to be swayed by the search for real positive returns and developments in the interest rate space.” (NAN)
The Acting Chairman, FCT Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS), Mr Haruna Abdullahi, has said that it ranks high in revenue generation because of the agency’s commitment to widening the tax net in the area.
Abdullahi said this in a statement by Mr Mustapha Sumaila, FCT-IRS Head of Corporate Communications, in Abuja yesterday.
According to the statement, Abdullahi said this at the 2023 Summit of Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) for members, partners and students in Abuja.
The FCT-IRS boss said one of the strategies put in place by the agency to boost revenue generation was prioritising institutional framework that would outlive the current management.
“We have been working in the last two years to build the institutional framework that will fit into globally recognised institutions.
“We have stepped up our awareness campaigns to educate taxpayers on all our processes as well as mobilised prospective taxpayers to be in the tax net.
“Our engagement with our major stakeholders has also been enhanced overtime as we constantly engage with them.
“We also update and educate them on decisions, introduction and direction of policies,” he said.
Abdullahi further said, “capacity building of staff has also been of utmost priority.
“This is because we cannot have efficient and committed workforce if the staffers are not well trained to deliver optimally.
“From what we have done so far, there will be visible impact in terms of what the service will be generating in the next few years.”
On importance of mentorship at the event, the acting chairman said mentors were important when making career choices.
The acting chairman, who is a Fellow of ACCA, said it was also critical for people who had carved a niche for themselves to identify talents and impact positively in them. (NAN)
The equity market extended its losing streak for the fifth successive session as the market capitalisation decreased by N313 billion due to investors’ continued profit-taking.
The All Share Index (ASI) fell by 574.59 absolute points, representing a decrease of 1.04 per cent to close at 54,915.
61 points.Accordingly, investors lost N313 billion in value as market capitalisation declined to N29.
The downturn was impacted by losses recorded in medium and large capitalised stocks, amongst which are; Dangote Sugar Refinery, MTN Nigeria Communications (MTNN), Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), United Capital and Industrial & Medical Gases Nigeria.
Market breadth remained negative as 25 stocks lost relative to eight gainers.
Chams Holding Company recorded the highest price gain of 8.7 per cent to close at 25k, per share.
University Press followed with a gain 7.57 per cent to close at N1.99, while LivingTrust Mortgage Bank gained 3.37 per cent to close at N3.07, per share.
Sterling Bank appreciated by 2.67 per cent to close at N1.54, while Zenith Bank rose by 2.52 per cent to close at N24.45, per share.
On the other hand, ETI led the losers’ chart by 10 per cent to close at N10.80, per share.
Industrial & Medical Gases Nigeria followed with a decline of 9.32 per cent each to close at N7.30, while Royal Exchange lost 8.22 per cent to close at 67k, per share.
R.T. Briscoe Nigeria shed 7.69 per cent to close at 24k, while International Energy Insurance shed 6.92 per cent to close at N1.21, per share.
Meanwhile, the total volume of trades decreased by 24.23 per cent to 137.287 million units, valued at N1.510 billion, and exchanged in 3,489 deals.
Transactions in the shares of Transnational Corporation (Transcorp) topped the activity chart with 26.085 million shares valued at N33.979 million.
Zenith Bank followed with 14.721 million shares worth N353.890 million, while Sterling Bank traded 13.231 million shares valued at N20.019 million.
United Bank of Africa (UBA) traded 10.242 million shares valued at N81.385 million, while Access Holdings transacted 7.626 million shares worth N66.201 million. (NAN)
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