The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) closed Wednesday, 13 May 2026, on a mildly positive note as the All-Share Index climbed 0.04% to 252,508.2 points, officially crossing the 252,500 mark. This reflects a small but steady gain of 96.5 points from the previous session, even as overall market momentum showed signs of cooling after earlier strong performances.
Market activity remained solid, with total traded volume holding at 1.6 billion units, while market capitalization rose slightly to ₦161.8 trillion, up from ₦161.6 trillion. The session highlighted a market that is still broadly supported, though trading sentiment appears to be stabilizing rather than accelerating.
A major highlight of the day was the dominance of First HoldCo Plc, which led both volume and value charts. The financial giant recorded 575.1 million shares traded, with a staggering ₦44.4 billion in value, reinforcing its position as a key driver of market liquidity. However, despite its dominance in activity, the stock closed lower, reflecting mixed investor sentiment across banking names.
The broader market showed a mixed but balanced performance. On the gainers’ table, Daar Communications, Fidson, Livestock Feeds, and CWG all surged by 10%, indicating strong speculative and sector-driven interest. On the losing side, NCR (Nigeria) and Zichis Agro-Allied topped decliners after shedding nearly 10%, alongside losses in First HoldCo, Neimeth, and Eterna.
Sector performance painted a divided picture. While the banking and oil & gas sectors dipped slightly, losing 2.53% and 0.03% respectively, the market found support from gains in industrial goods, insurance, and consumer goods, which helped cushion overall sentiment. Year-to-date returns also improved slightly to 62.27%, signaling continued long-term bullish momentum despite short-term fluctuations.
source: Nairametrics