NGX ASI Rises Amidst Cautious Optimism, Investors Gain N67 Billion
The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) continued its bullish run midweek, as the All-Share Index (ASI) recorded a modest increase of 0.08%, closing at 132,557.43 points.
This movement added approximately N67 billion to investors’ portfolio values, reflecting sustained confidence in the local equities market.
According to market analysts, this incremental gain pushed the year-to-date (YTD) return to 28.79%, underscoring growing investor interest in Nigerian stocks despite global economic uncertainties.
Consequently, market capitalisation advanced by N66.8 billion, finishing the session at N83.86 trillion, supported by improved liquidity and increased demand for stocks with strong fundamentals.
However, market sentiment remained slightly cautious. While 29 stocks appreciated, 37 declined, pointing to mixed trading behaviour characterised by both bargain hunting and profit-taking strategies.
Market participants attributed the cautious optimism to investor reactions surrounding the half-year earnings reports, both from firms that have published results and those yet to announce.
Trading volume and turnover slowed, with total transactions down by 10.67% in volume and 35.61% in value compared to the previous session. Investment firm Atlass Portfolio Limited reported that roughly 681.24 million units worth N17.02 billion were exchanged in 26,931 deals.
On the activity chart, ACCESSCORP dominated trading, accounting for 14.48% of total volume. Other major movers included ELLAHLAKES (8.98%), JAPAULGOLD (7.22%), ROYALEX (6.43%), and UNIVINSURE (4.71%).
ACCESSCORP also led in value terms, contributing 16.13% of the total trade value.
Top gainers for the day were Academy (+10.00%), The Initiates Plc (TIP, +9.98%), Ikeja Hotel (+9.95%), Enamelware (+9.84%), and NAHCO (+9.65%). On the downside, stocks such as Austin Laz, Tripple G, Omatek, Daar Communications, and Multiverse led the losers’ chart.
Performance across sectors was largely positive, with gains recorded in:
Banking (+0.44%)
Insurance (+0.13%)
Consumer Goods (+0.30%)
Oil & Gas (+0.21%)
Commodities (+0.07%)
The Industrial Goods sector was the only laggard, shedding 0.62%, reflecting profit-taking in that segment.
