Trading on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) began the week on a positive note, with the All-Share Index (ASI) advancing by 0.65% or 963.17 basis points to close at 149,940.81 points, up from Friday’s 148,977.64 points.
Similarly, the market capitalisation rose by ₦611.34 billion or 0.65% to ₦95.172 trillion, compared with ₦94.560 trillion recorded in the previous session.
The market’s positive performance was driven largely by buying interest in BUA Cement Plc (+6.25%), MTN Nigeria Communications Plc (+1.18%), and FBN Holdings Plc (+3.50%), which outweighed losses recorded by Access Holdings Plc (-0.78%), AXA Mansard Insurance Plc (-4.05%), and Conoil Plc (-4.07%).
As a result, the Month-to-Date and Year-to-Date returns rose to +5.10% and +45.68%, respectively.
Market activity was mixed, as trading volume declined by 14.97% to 408.97 million units, while transaction value increased by 59.08% to ₦26.69 billion, exchanged in 31,287 deals.
Fidelity Bank Plc led by volume, with 49.46 million shares traded, while Geregu Power Plc topped by value at ₦9.29 billion.
Market breadth closed negative, as 33 stocks declined against 30 gainers.
Juli Plc led the losers’ chart, shedding ₦0.89 or 9.94% to close at ₦8.06 per share, followed by Thomas Wyatt Nigeria Plc, which lost ₦0.29 or 9.63% to ₦2.72 per share. Daar Communications Plc also declined by ₦0.08 or 7.14% to ₦1.04 per share.
On the gainers’ chart, Union Dicon Salt Plc topped with a ₦0.80 or 10.00% rise to ₦8.80 per share, followed by Eunisell Interlinked Plc, which gained ₦4.80 or 9.92% to ₦53.20 per share. Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc advanced by ₦0.23 or 6.44% to close at ₦3.80 per share.
Across the sectoral indices, performance was largely positive, with the Industrial Goods (+2.3%), Oil & Gas (+0.7%), Banking (+0.5%), and Consumer Goods (+0.1%) sectors posting gains, while the Insurance (-0.7%) index closed in the red.
