Domestic Investors Dominate as Stock Market Attracts N756bn Goddy Egene The Nigerian equities market attracted a total of N755.54 billion between January and April 2020, showing an increase of 32.7 per cent compared with N569.16 billion invested in the market
in the corresponding period of 2019. The trading numbers obtained from the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) showed that domestic investors dominated the transactions in the first four months of the year, accounting for N450.48
billion or 59.6 per cent. On the other hand, foreign investors recorded N305.05 billion or 40.4 per cent. A monthly analysis of the transactions showed that the market recorded N235.46 billion in January, with domestic investors accounting
for N165.14 billion or 70.1 per cent, while foreign investors traded N70.32 billion or 29.86 per cent. In February, investors executed trades worth N148.50 billion and domestic investors dominated with N77.16 billion or 51.9 per
cent, while foreign investors accounted for N71.34 billion or 48.0 per cent. The value of trading increased to N242.91 billion in March still led by domestic investors who accounted for N132.69 billion or 54.6 per cent. Foreign investors,
however, traded N110.22 billion or 45.4 per cent. But the figures went down in April as investors traded N128.67 billion with domestic investors, maintaining the lead, recording N75.49 billion Continued on page 9
South-east Govs Seek Laws for Regional Security Agencies.... Page 8 Monday 25 May, 2020 Vol 25. No 9177. Price: N250
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Assembly Speakers Hail President’s Executive Order on Financial Autonomy Govs yet to discuss presidential directive, Says Fayemi Our Correspondents Speakers of Houses of Assembly have hailed President Muhammadu
Buhari for signing Executive Order No. 10, which seeks to facilitate the implementation of financial autonomy for state legislature and judiciary as
enshrined in section 121 (3) of the 1999 Constitution as amended. But state governors have maintained silence on the
presidential directive as the chairman of their forum, Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Dr. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, told THISDAY
that no comment would be made until they meet over it. “Governors have not met on the order, so we have no reaction,” he said in a text
message yesterday. The speakers, however, described it as an impetus Continued on page 9
Buhari Laments Rising COVID-19 Cases, Says Upsurge Frightening Patients turned back as hospital beds fill up in Lagos Private healthcare facilities not reporting pandemic deaths for fear of closure Mortuaries full in Cross Rivers, Edo, Imo, Kogi, Lagos 313 fresh cases raise count to 7,839 with 2,263 persons discharged, 226 dead Omololu Ogunmade, Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja, Chinedu Eze and Martins Ifijeh in Lagos Concerned about the unabated spread of COVID-19, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday described the situation as frightening and appealed to Nigerians to adhere to the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health to stay safe from the disease. The president’s concerns perhaps gained strength from reports yesterday that Lagos, the main epicentre of the disease, has run out of beds for patients of the disease, many of who are now being turned back at isolation and treatment centres in the state. Continued on page 9
THE FIRST FAMILY... L-R: President’s children, Zahra and Amina; wife, Aisha; President Muhammadu Buhari; other children, Halima, Aisha and Yusuf, during the Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations at the Presidential Villa, Abuja ...yesterday godwin omoigui