Banking and Consumer Stocks Propel Nigerian Equities Up 1.76% Amid Year-End Rally

Nigerian equities ended the week on a high note, gaining 1.76% thanks to strong buying interest in banking and consumer goods stocks. The NGX All-Share Index climbed to 152,057.38 points from 149,433.26 points, while market capitalization surged by N1.67 trillion to N96.94 trillion. Year-to-date returns now stand at an impressive 47.73%, signaling robust investor confidence as 2025 comes to a close.

The rally was led by the banking and consumer goods sectors, with investors focusing on fundamentally strong stocks ahead of the Christmas season. The NGX Banking Index jumped 2.75%, while the NGX Consumer Goods Index soared 4.51%. Analysts attribute the surge to year-end positioning and “window-dressing” by fund managers aiming to showcase healthy portfolios before the holidays.

Investor activity on the Nigerian Exchange also picked up sharply, with total turnover reaching 9.85 billion shares valued at N305.84 billion across 126,584 deals. This is a notable jump from the previous week’s 4.37 billion shares worth N97.78 billion. The Financial Services sector dominated trading, accounting for roughly 84% of total volume and 76% of total value traded, reflecting heightened interest in banking and financial stocks.

Among the week’s gainers, Aluminium Extrusion Industries Plc led with a 59.35% jump to N12.35 per share, followed by Mecure Industries Plc (+44.93%) and First Holdco Plc (+42.93%). Consumer favorites like Guinness Nigeria Plc rose 33.01%, while NPF Microfinance Bank Plc added 20.65%. On the flip side, LivingTrust Mortgage Bank Plc lost 11.38%, with Japual Gold and Ventures Plc (-10.53%) and International Energy Insurance Plc (-9.92%) rounding out notable decliners.

Five of the six major indices closed the week in positive territory, with industrial goods (+0.72%), insurance (+3.07%), and commodity (+0.34%) indices also recording gains. Only the oil and gas sector slipped slightly by 0.17% amid minor profit-taking. Analysts at Cowry suggest that the rally reflects improved liquidity, strong earnings outlooks, and sustained investor sentiment, noting that “fundamentally sound banking and consumer stocks could continue to support equities in the near term.”

source: The Sun