Dollar Black Market Rate: Stronger Dollar to Push Naira above N600/$ – The way it is going now, dollar rate to Naira may get to N600/$. Just a stronger dollar which is fast coming will push Naira above N600 per dollar. SEE HOW IT WILL BE AND THE GOOD AND BAD NEWS ABOUT IT

Dollar Black Market Rate: Stronger Dollar to Push Naira above N600/$

A stronger dollar may mean bad news for the Naira as it is expected to push above N600/$ due to the US Fed’s hawkish stance and the bullish momentum of the dollar index.

This week, all eyes will be on the Federal Reserve, as Chairman Jerome Powell is likely to announce a rate hike as well as new details on the Fed’s $9 trillion balance sheet unwinding plan.

Due to the  US dollar integration into the global economy, its gains are putting more pressure on businesses and governments as they prepare for rising interest rates on their dollar debt, particularly in nations like Nigeria that rely heavily on imports.

At the time of writing this article, the exchange rate at the peer-to-peer forex market was trading at N591.2/$1 down from closing at N565/$1 on December 31, 2021. This is indicative of a N26 depreciation YTD.

Updates from notable Investors

Omotoso Oluwaseyi, Forex Analyst at WestbellisyFx stated that the expected hawkish stance of the US Fed is expected to depreciate the Naira further.

He said, “If there is an increase in the federal funds rate by 50 basis points, raising the target range from the current 25-50 to 75-100 basis point, this implies that an increase in the dollar rate would push the dollar/naira exchange to N600 – N620 per dollar as compared to N580 – N585 it was before.”

The volatility in the FX market, according to Anwal Usman, a BDC operator in Lagos, is due to a shortage of forex supply, while demand has risen sharply in recent weeks.

He said, “Dollar demand has increased significantly, especially since the election is fast approaching, which is why the exchange rate has gone up.”