The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) ended Thursday's trading on a positive note, boosting its market value by ₦240 billion, even though trading volume and deal numbers dropped. The All-Share Index rose by 0.35% to reach 109,231.96 points, pushing this year's market return to 6.13%. Overall market capitalisation hit ₦68.7 trillion.
Despite the positive performance, trading activity slowed. Investors exchanged 554.1 million shares worth ₦14.3 billion in 16,704 deals—a slight dip compared to the previous day.
Out of 128 traded stocks, 38 saw gains and 21 declined. Beta Glass and Chellarams Plc led the gainers, each rising by 10%, followed by companies like International Energy Insurance, May & Baker, and Academy Press with strong performances.
On the downside, Abbey Mortgage Bank fell by 10%, while Livestock Feeds and Legend Internet Technologies also recorded notable losses.
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Fidelity Bank was the most actively traded stock with nearly 70 million shares exchanged, followed by Access Holdings and Tantalizers Plc.
Sector-wise, the performance was largely positive. Banking stocks rose 1.02%, industrial stocks gained 0.98%, and other sectors like insurance and pensions also recorded modest gains.
The market started the week strong, with investors gaining ₦307 billion on Monday—signaling a renewed appetite for Nigerian equities. This could be encouraging for SMEs involved in stock market-related investments or partnerships, as it reflects improving investor sentiment in key sectors.
