Nigerian Stock Market Loses N135bn in Third Weekly Decline Amid Investor Caution

The Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) closed in negative territory for the third time this week, losing N135 billion in market value as investor sentiment weakened. On Thursday, September 25, 2025, the All-Share Index (ASI) fell by 213.50 points, or 0.15%, to close at 140,716.10 points, bringing total market capitalization to N89.1 trillion. Analysts linked the dip to profit-taking following a recent market rally and subdued trading activity.

Trading activity slowed sharply, with total turnover dropping to N16.96 billion from 442.55 million shares exchanged across 21,678 deals. This represents a 42% decline in volume and a 34% fall in turnover compared to the previous trading session, while the number of deals fell by 8%. Investors appeared cautious, reducing participation across most sectors despite pockets of strong performance.

Among the gainers, Dangote Sugar Refinery led with a 10% rise, closing at N59.40 per share. MeCure Industries climbed 9.95% to N23.75, while Cornerstone Insurance and Secure Electronic Technology advanced 8% each. Other notable performers included UPDC REIT, up 5%, and Stanbic IBTC, which gained 3.93%. Conversely, Deap Capital Management & Trust recorded the steepest loss, falling 9.42% to N1.73 per share, followed closely by Legend Internet, Wapic Insurance, RT Briscoe, and May & Baker Nigeria.

Market activity was dominated by banking stocks, led by Zenith Bank, which recorded the highest volume with 68.99 million shares worth N4.76 billion. Access Holdings, First HoldCo, Fidelity Bank, and Guaranty Trust Holding Company also posted significant trading volumes, reflecting sustained interest in key financial counters despite overall market weakness.

Sectoral performance was mixed, with the NGX Banking Index rising 1.29% and the Consumer Goods Index up 0.55%. The Main Board Index added 0.31%, while the Top 30 Index and NGX Pension Index dipped 0.14% and 0.08%, respectively. Analysts emphasized that while select stocks posted strong gains, broad market pressure was driven by sell-offs in major counters, underlining cautious investor behavior as the market approaches the final quarter of 2025.

source: punch