Dear Investors,

Remember those New Year’s resolutions to get fit and eat healthy? Well, ditch them, because the financial markets are serving up a spicy stew of surprises, twists, and enough drama to fill a Nollywood epic. Buckle up because we’re diving headfirst into the January newsletter!

Global Economies: Award Ceremony on Hold

Hold your confetti cannons and acceptance speeches! While the world’s economies have been throwing some wild curveballs, it’s still too early to crown any champions. We’ll wait until December to hand out the “Most Resilient Economy” and “Best Inflation Taming Act” awards (fingers crossed for Nigeria on that one).

Uncle Sam Flexes His Muscles:

• US GDP unexpectedly did the moonwalk, defying gravity and growing 3.3% in the final quarter. Turns out, those recession whispers were just a bad case of indigestion.
• The job market is still a disco party, with unemployment dipping below 4%. The Fed, however, might not be throwing glitter on the dance floor just yet.
• Dollar index feeling pumped? You bet! Strong jobs and a sprinkle of Middle Eastern tension have it flexing its biceps.

Meanwhile, in Nigeria…

• CBN released 500 million dollars to various sectors in its determination to address the backlog of verified foreign exchange transactions.
• Foreign investors playing hide-and-seek, with $200 million worth of assets saying “adios” in Q3.
• But hey, Dangote’s refinery is finally open for business! Seven lucky marketers get to sell the locally made fuel, so say goodbye to fuel queues (hopefully).
• Banks feeling the heat: CBN dissolved three boards for rule-breaking and replaced them with fresh faces. Time for a new banking playbook, it seems.
• Inflation, the uninvited party guest, is still here, pushing the headline rate to 28.92%. Food prices are on a sugar rush, dragging core inflation up too.

Stock Market: A Tale of Two Halves

• January started with investor optimism swirling like champagne at a New Year’s Eve bash. Foreign cash flooded in, promising vacations for everyone!
• Industrial goods stocks like Dangote Cement and Bua Cement were the toast of the town, leading the market to a record high of 103,000.
• But reality, like a hangover, hit in the second half. Companies like Cadbury saw their profits evaporate, thanks to dollar-denominated debts.
• Still, the NGX ended the month positive, proving that some investors still have their dancing shoes on.

Bonus Round:

• Shell is shedding its onshore oil block for a cool $2.4 billion, proving that even oil giants declutter sometimes.
• Eterna Oil is now Dangote’s fuel BFF, ready to distribute the refinery’s goodies across the nation.

So, what does it all mean?

The world’s economies are doing the tango, with the United States leading and Nigeria trying to find its rhythm. Investors hold on tight! It’s going to be a bumpy (but potentially profitable) ride.