Nigerian Stock Market Surges with N512bn Gain Amid Active Trading

The Nigerian equity rebounded last week as investors pocketed a N512 billion gain on the back of the surge in trading activity.

This surge reflects an active trading environment and positive investor sentiment despite some sectoral declines.

The market capitalization of the Nigerian Exchange Limited rose by 0.87 percent to N56.929 trillion, while the All-Share Index (ASI) climbed 0.86 percent to close at 100,539.40 points.

The rise was driven by a notable increase in the prices of 37 stocks, outpacing the 34 stocks that experienced a price decline over the same period.

In total, investors traded 2.827 billion shares valued at N42.366 billion across 44,277 deals. This marks a slight increase from the previous week’s turnover of 2.765 billion shares worth N85.230 billion in 40,796 deals, indicating a vibrant trading environment.

The Financial Services Industry led the trading volume, contributing 77.08 percent to the overall stock turnover volume and 72.38 percent to the value.

Within this sector, Jaiz Bank Plc, Cutix Plc, and First City Monument Bank Group emerged as the top three equities by volume, accounting for 1.140 billion shares valued at N4.632 billion.

This strong performance underscores the sector’s pivotal role in the market’s recent gains.

The Industrial Goods Industry followed, with 246.921 million shares worth N2.039 billion traded in 2,068 deals, while the Oil and Gas Industry recorded a turnover of 107.218 million shares worth N1.704 billion across 3,128 transactions.

Despite the overall positive performance, several indices saw declines.

The Banking, Insurance, Consumer Goods, Oil and Gas, and NGX Sovereign Bond indices depreciated by 0.05 percent, 4.86 percent, 0.20 percent, 0.10 percent, and 4.35 percent, respectively.

Looking ahead, analysts suggest that the market may face a mildly negative close next week, influenced by cautious trading, especially in the banking sector, amid increased scrutiny.

Also, the Nigerian Stock Exchange has recently delisted the shares of Niger Insurance Plc, Resort Savings and Loans Plc, and RAK Unity Petroleum Plc effective July 18, 2024.

This action, in accordance with Clause 15 of the General Undertaking of the Exchange’s Rule Book, follows the companies’ failure to meet listing standards and reflects a broader effort to ensure market integrity.

Overall, last week’s performance highlights the Nigerian stock market’s resilience and growing investor confidence, even as it navigates sectoral challenges and regulatory changes.