NGX Equities Market Records N37bn Loss As ARADEL, ACCESS, WAPCO Drop

The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) experienced a loss of N37 billion on Thursday as investors sold off shares in Aradel Holdings, Access Holdings Plc, and Lafarge Africa (WAPCO). The All-Share Index (ASI) dropped by 0.06%, closing at 98,114.11, driven by sell pressures in key stocks.

The decline in the ASI, amounting to 60.88 basis points, dampened the year-to-date market return, reflecting portfolio rebalancing activities. Specific losses included ARADEL (-1.48%), WAPCO (-2.05%), and ACCESSCORP (-1.84%), which weighed heavily on the market.

Despite the negative close, trading activities were mixed. The total trading volume rose by 38.53%, while the total value of trades fell by 35.58%. According to analysts from Atlass Portfolio Limited, Thursday’s trading saw 723 million shares worth N12.84 billion exchanged across 8,695 deals.

Top Volume and Value Drivers

• CHAMPION Breweries emerged as the most traded stock by volume, accounting for 41.67% of total shares traded.
• Other volume contributors included FIDELITYBK (6.73%), GTCO (5.56%), ACCESSCORP (4.93%), and WAPCO (4.03%).
• By value, GTCO dominated, representing 16.51% of total trade value.

Gainers and Losers
Market breadth remained positive, with 35 gainers and 16 losers.

• Top Gainers: CORNERST and UPL led with a 10.00% increase each, followed by STERLINGNG (+9.98%) and GOLDBREW (+9.84%).
• Top Losers: REDSTAREX recorded the steepest loss, falling 10.00%, followed by FTNCOCOA (-5.61%) and NEIMETH (-2.78%).

Sectoral Performance
Three of the five major market sectors closed positive:

• Insurance: (+3.13%), buoyed by gains in CORNERST (+10.00%).
• Oil & Gas: (+1.13%), supported by CONOIL (+5.07%).
• Consumer Goods: (+0.02%), aided by HONYFLOUR (+1.01%).
  Conversely, the Banking (-0.26%) and Industrial Goods (-0.24%) indices declined due to losses in ACCESSCORP (-1.84%) and WAPCO (-2.05%).

Overall, the equities market capitalization fell by N36.91 billion, closing at N59.48 trillion.