Nigeria’s equities market closed in positive territory on Thursday as renewed buying interest in select heavyweight stocks lifted overall investor wealth by ₦283 billion.
Trading data from the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) showed that Seplat Energy Plc, Deap Capital Management & Trust Plc, and R.T. Briscoe Plc were the primary drivers of market momentum during the session.
The benchmark All-Share Index (ASI) climbed by 0.25 percent to settle at 178,625.63 basis points. In tandem, total market capitalization appreciated by 0.25 percent, translating into an additional ₦283.24 billion and pushing the total value of listed equities to ₦114.66 trillion.
Market breadth remained positive, reflecting stronger buying sentiment. A total of 45 stocks advanced compared to 35 decliners, giving a breadth ratio of 1.3x. Among the top gainers were SEPLAT, DEAPCAP, RTBRISCOE, ZICHIS, and DAARCOMM. On the opposite end, NAHCO, ABBEYBDS, ETERNA, MAYBAKER, and ETI recorded the most significant losses.
Despite the upward price movement, overall trading activity weakened during the session. Volume traded declined by 25.64 percent to 698.34 million units. The total value of transactions also dropped by 16.44 percent to ₦28.44 billion, while the number of executed deals fell by 16.96 percent to 50,886 transactions.
On the gainers’ chart, SEPLAT, DEAPCAP, and RTBRISCOE each posted the maximum daily appreciation of 10.00 percent. Meanwhile, NAHCO led the losers’ table with a 9.98 percent decline.
In terms of market participation, ACCESSCORP emerged as the most actively traded stock by volume, recording 52.05 million units and accounting for 7.45 percent of total turnover. GTCO dominated the value chart with transactions worth ₦4.34 billion, representing 15.25 percent of total market value traded.
Sectoral indices ended largely negative, with only two segments closing in positive territory. The Oil & Gas Index surged 4.64 percent, while the Commodity Index gained 3.14 percent, both supported by strong demand for SEPLAT shares.
Conversely, the Insurance Index declined by 1.47 percent, pressured by losses in NEM Insurance, which fell 8.33 percent. The Industrial Index dropped 1.09 percent following selloffs in DANGCEM (-1.84 percent). The Banking Index slipped 0.13 percent due to weakness in ETI (-8.72 percent), while the Consumer Goods Index dipped 0.04 percent amid declines in NB (-1.16 percent).
Although trading volumes softened, the market’s positive close indicates sustained investor interest in select counters, particularly within the energy and commodity space.
