The Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) began this week’s trading activities with the NGX All-Share Index (ASI) advancing by 0.65% or 963.17 basis points to close at 149,940.81 basis points, from Friday’s close of 148,977.64 basis points.
The market capitalisation also gained 0.65% or ₦611.34 billion to settle at ₦95.172 trillion, from ₦94.560 trillion.
The market performance was largely driven by buying interest in BUA Cement Plc (+6.25%), MTN Nigeria Communications Plc (+1.18%), and First HoldCo Plc (+3.50%), which outweighed the selling pressure in Access Holdings Plc (-0.78%), AXA Mansard Insurance Plc (-4.05%), and Conoil Plc (-4.07%), thus driving the Month-to-Date and Year-to-Date returns to +5.1% and +45.68%, respectively.
Market activity was mixed, with transaction volume declining by 14.97% to 408.97 million units, while transaction value advanced by 59.08% to ₦26.69 billion, exchanged in 31,287 deals.
Fidelity Bank Plc was the most traded stock by volume at 49.46 million units of shares, while Geregu Power Plc was the most traded stock by value at ₦9.29 billion.
As measured by market breadth, market sentiment was negative, with 33 declining stocks outnumbering 30 gainers.
Juli Plc recorded the highest price decline today, with a drop in share price from ₦8.95 per share to ₦8.06 per share, losing ₦0.89 or -9.94%.
Thomas Wyatt Nig. Plc followed, shedding ₦0.29 or -9.63% to settle at ₦2.72 per share from ₦3.01 per share.
Daar Communications Plc trailed with a decline from ₦1.12 per share to ₦1.04 per share, losing ₦0.08 or -7.14%.
On the flip side, Union Dicon Salt Plc was the biggest gainer, with a rise in share price from ₦8.00 per share to ₦8.80 per share, gaining ₦0.80 or 10.00%.
Next was Eunisell Interlinked Plc, with a rise from ₦48.40 per share to ₦53.20 per share, gaining ₦4.80 or 9.92%.
Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc occupied the third position, with a ₦0.23 or 6.44% rise from ₦3.57 per share to close at ₦3.80 per share.
In terms of sectoral indices, the Industrial Goods (+2.3%), Oil & Gas (+0.7%), Banking (+0.5%), and Consumer Goods (+0.1%) indices closed positive, while the Insurance (-0.7%) index closed negative.