The Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) wrapped up Wednesday’s trading session on a muted note, recording a modest gain of N67bn in market capitalization. This brought the total market value to N83.9tn, up slightly from the previous N83.83tn. The All-Share Index ticked up by 105.70 points or 0.08 per cent to settle at 132,557.43 points, reflecting cautious optimism in the capital market amid mixed investor sentiment.
Despite the slight upward movement in market value, trading activities showed a considerable decline. The volume of shares traded dropped by 12 per cent to 681.2 million units, while the value of transactions plunged by 36 per cent to N17.02bn. Additionally, the number of deals executed on the floor declined by 18 per cent to 26,931, signalling reduced investor participation during the session.
Out of 128 equities traded, 29 closed in the green while 37 declined, and 62 ended flat. Academy Press Plc emerged as the top gainer with a 10 per cent increase to N7.70 per share. Other notable risers included The Initiates Plc, Ikeja Hotel, Nigerian Enamelware, and NAHCO, all posting gains close to 10 per cent. Conversely, Austin Laz & Company led the losers with a 10 per cent drop, joined by Tripple Gee, Omatek Ventures, Daar Communications, and Multiverse Mining with significant declines.
Access Holdings Plc dominated both the volume and value charts, trading 98.6 million shares worth N2.74bn. It was followed by Ellah Lakes, Japaul Gold, Royal Exchange, and Universal Insurance in terms of trading volume. On the value side, Dangote Cement, Aradel Holdings, GTCO, and WAPCO joined Access Holdings as the top performers by monetary value.
Market indices showed overall positive momentum. The Top 30 Index and sectoral indices for Banking, Consumer Goods, Pension, Oil & Gas, and Insurance all posted modest gains, underscoring a broadly stable market outlook. The year-to-date return stood at 28.79 per cent, suggesting sustained investor confidence even amid intermittent profit-taking and volatility. This follows Tuesday’s bullish performance where the market gained N396bn, hinting at a continued cautious rally in the Nigerian equities market.
Source: Punch