Nigeria’s stock market continued its upward momentum on Tuesday following the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) decision to maintain all key monetary policy rates. The apex bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), at the conclusion of its July 2025 meeting, kept the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) unchanged at 27.50%, along with the Cash Reserve Ratio at 50% and liquidity ratio at 30%. This move boosted investor confidence, further energizing activities across sectors.
The Nigerian Exchange’s All-Share Index climbed 0.47%, closing at 132,451.73 points, while total market capitalisation added N395 billion to settle at N83.79 trillion. This pushed the year-to-date return to 28.69%, reflecting sustained bullish sentiment. Analysts believe the CBN’s decision, coupled with declining yields in the fixed income market and expectations of interim dividends, drove market optimism.
Investor participation remained strong with trading volumes hitting 762.6 million shares valued at N26.43 billion across 32,365 transactions. Despite a nearly even split in stock performance—36 gainers versus 34 decliners—market watchers noted a prevailing trend of bargain hunting and increased liquidity. Analysts at Cowry Asset Management described the market’s tone as “moderately mixed” but positive overall.
Dangote Sugar Refinery led the gainers’ chart with a 10% rise, closing at N56.10, followed by The Initiates Plc, Sovereign Trust Insurance, Nigerian Enamelware, and University Press—all posting close to 10% increases. Among the top movers by volume and value were Access Holdings, UBA, GTCO, Ellah Lakes, and Lafarge Africa, indicating active investor interest in the financial and industrial sectors.
While the equities market soared, the naira weakened slightly by 0.18% to close at N1,535 per dollar at the official window, matching the parallel market rate. Sectoral performance was led by the Industrial Goods Index with a 2.87% gain, while Oil & Gas and Commodities saw marginal declines. Overall, investor sentiment remains buoyant as dividend season and recapitalisation plans take center stage.
Source: The sun