The Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) recovered on Thursday amid the surge in strong investor demand for small and mid-cap stocks.
The market capitalisation rose by N263 billion to N56.91 trillion.
The All-Share Index climbed by 0.47%, closing at 100,503.21 points, reflecting a solid buying interest across various sectors.
Despite the market’s overall positive performance, trading activity was subdued with a 64.3% decrease in average daily volume to 392.8 million units.
However, the number of deals increased by 3.4% to 9,013, while the traded value declined by 17.3% to N8.33 billion.
Guaranty Trust Holding Company led the volume trades, with 39.75 million shares worth N1.80 billion across 663 deals.
Meanwhile, Airtel Africa dominated in value, with trades worth N2.25 billion in just 34 transactions.
Sector performance was mixed. Gains were recorded in the oil and gas, consumer goods, and industrial goods sectors, rising by 0.19%, 0.07%, and 0.01%, respectively.
Notable stocks included Airtel Africa, Eterna Plc, Oando, and NASCON Allied Industries.
Conversely, the insurance and banking sectors faced losses, declining by 2.35% and 2.28%.
Top gainers of the day were United Capital, Oando, and Africa Prudential, while Linkage Assurance and Veritas Kapital led the decliners.
This rebound highlights investor confidence in Nigeria’s equities market, with opportunities emerging in small and mid-cap stocks.