By Boluwatife Oshadiya| March 31, 2026
Key Points
- NGX All-Share Index drops 0.21% to 200,484.43 points
- Market capitalisation declines by ₦275bn to ₦128.69tn
- Banking, insurance, and industrial sectors drive losses
Main Story
The Nigerian equities market opened the week on a negative note as investors lost ₦275 billion in market value, with selloffs dragging key indices lower.
Data from the Nigerian Exchange showed the All-Share Index declined by 0.21 per cent to close at 200,484.43 points, trimming year-to-date returns to 28.84 per cent. Market capitalisation also fell to ₦128.69 trillion.
Trading activity presented mixed signals, with total transaction value rising 4.83 per cent to ₦25.65 billion and deal volume increasing by 38.84 per cent to 60,311 trades. However, total traded volume dipped slightly by 0.32 per cent to 593.25 million shares.
Market breadth closed negative, with 34 decliners outweighing 26 gainers. Sectoral performance was broadly weak, as losses in insurance, banking, industrial, and consumer goods stocks offset marginal gains recorded in oil and gas equities.
What’s Being Said
“The negative close reflects profit-taking activities following recent market rallies,” said a Lagos-based equity analyst at a leading investment firm.
“Investors are becoming more selective amid macroeconomic uncertainties and interest rate pressures,” the analyst added.
What’s Next
- Investors to monitor inflation data and interest rate signals
- Continued sector rotation expected in coming sessions
- Earnings releases likely to influence short-term market direction
Bottom Line (Optional)
The Bottom Line: The market’s pullback signals growing investor caution after a strong rally, with macroeconomic headwinds likely to dictate near-term sentiment.
