BUA Foods, Aradel Lift Nigerian Stocks as All-Share Index Smashes 150,000 Mark — Highest Ever Level
The Nigerian stock market hit a historic milestone on Tuesday, October 22, 2025, as the All-Share Index (ASI) surged past the 150,000-point threshold for the first time. The benchmark index gained 1,516 points to close at 151,456.91, driven by strong performances from market heavyweights including BUA Foods, Aradel, and First HoldCo. This marks a 1.01% daily increase and reflects renewed investor confidence in the equities market.
Market capitalization also soared to ₦96.1 trillion, edging closer to the symbolic ₦100 trillion mark, while trading activity strengthened significantly. Daily trading volume rose to 551.9 million shares, up from 415 million the previous day, spread across 27,518 deals. Analysts attribute the rally to investor optimism ahead of Q3 earnings reports, particularly from blue-chip companies expected to post robust financials.
Leading the gainers’ chart, SCOA and OMATEK recorded impressive jumps of 7.74% and 7.48%, respectively, followed by BUA Foods, which climbed 6.54% to ₦692.50. Other top gainers included CONHALLPLC (+6.70%) and VITAFOAM (+5.92%). Meanwhile, LIVINGTRUST and CONOIL led the decliners, dropping 9.91% and 5.83%, respectively, as profit-taking hit select counters.
Trading activity was dominated by FIDELITY Bank and VFD Group, which topped the volume chart with 59.1 million and 39.3 million shares exchanged. In terms of value, GTCO led the market with transactions worth ₦2.9 billion, followed by Dangote Cement (₦2.07 billion) and Aradel (₦1.64 billion). The positive performance extended to large-cap stocks, with most Stocks Worth Over One Trillion Naira (SWOOTs) posting gains — BUA Foods (+6.54%), Aradel (+4.94%), and Lafarge (+1.1%) among the standout performers.
Among the FUGAZ banking stocks, performance was mixed. First HoldCo gained 4.46%, while UBA remained flat. On the downside, AccessCorp, GTCO, and Zenith Bank slipped 1.77%, 0.32%, and 0.15%, respectively. Despite the mixed sectoral performance, the overall market sentiment remains bullish as investors respond positively to improving macroeconomic indicators and corporate earnings expectations.
Looking ahead, analysts anticipate further upside potential as the index consolidates above the 150,000-point mark. With Q3 earnings season in full swing and liquidity levels improving, the market’s momentum could strengthen if large-cap stocks continue their upward trajectory. The year-to-date performance of the ASI now stands at an impressive +47.15%, underlining the Nigerian Exchange’s position as one of Africa’s top-performing markets in 2025.
source: Nairametrics