KEY POINTS
- The Nigerian equities market closed Friday’s trading session on a bearish note, with market capitalization declining by 0.16 per cent to settle at N162.842 trillion.
- Investors lost N262 billion as profit-taking across 26 equities pulled the All-Share Index down by 403.40 points to close at 250,808.27.
- Access Holdings Plc dominated trading activity, accounting for 32.95 per cent of total volume and 20.01 per cent of total value exchanged.
MAIN STORY
The Nigerian exchange concluded Friday’s trading session in negative territory as widespread profit-taking eroded N262 billion from investor wealth.
The market capitalization dropped from N163.104 trillion to N162.842 trillion, marking a 0.16 per cent decline. Concurrently, the All-Share Index (ASI) retreated by 0.16 per cent, falling 403.40 points from 251,211.67 to close at 250,808.27. The downturn trimmed the market’s Year-To-Date (YTD) return to 61.17 per cent.
Market breadth remained balanced as 26 equities appreciated while an equal number of 26 stocks registered price depreciation. PZ led the losers’ cohort with a 9.91 per cent drop to close at N66.40 per share, followed by Etranzact, which declined by 9.84 per cent to N11. Zichis Agro Allied Industries shed 8.29 per cent to settle at N18.25, FTN Cocoa Processors fell 8.19 per cent to N7.62, and Royal Exchange lost 7.83 per cent to close at N1.06.
On the other hand, AIICO Insurance and Trans-Nationwide Express topped the gainers’ chart, each appreciating by 10 per cent to close at N4.18 and N2.97 respectively. Livestock Feeds added 9.88 per cent to reach N8.90, Livingtrust Mortgage Bank gained 9.87 per cent to finish at N3.45, and ABC Transport advanced 9.63 per cent to N7.40 per share.
Trading activity softened slightly during the session, with total volume decreasing by 0.16 per cent as investors exchanged 557.15 million shares valued at N27.57 billion across 53,450 deals.
Access Holdings Plc emerged as the most active stock by both volume and value, trading 183.56 million shares worth N5.52 billion, which accounted for roughly 32.95 per cent of total volume and 20.01 per cent of total traded value.
THE ISSUES
- Sustained profit-taking phases in high-cap and mid-cap equities can introduce short-term volatility following extended periods of strong market rallies.
- Maintaining balanced market breadth amidst declining index points reflects selective sector rotation by investors navigating portfolio rebalancing.
WHAT’S NEXT
Market participants will monitor early-week trading volumes and institutional positioning to determine whether the bearish momentum will persist or give way to bargain hunting.
BOTTOM LINE
The Nigerian equities market recorded a N262 billion loss on Friday as profit-taking activities pushed major indices downward, offsetting gains across select banking and insurance counters.
