Nigeria’s equities market advanced by 0.58 percent on Thursday as investors increased positions in banking, oil and gas, insurance and consumer goods stocks.
The positive movement narrowed the week’s loss to 0.69 percent and improved the year-to-date return to 1.81 percent.
The All-Share Index rose to 104788.25 points from the previous session’s 104187.00 points while market capitalisation gained N377 billion to close at N65.847 trillion compared to N65.470 trillion on Wednesday.
VFD Group led the top gainers after its share price rose from N72.60 to N79.80. This was followed by Caverton with 10 percent gain to close at N2.31 while Neimeth added 9.92 percent to end the session at N2.88.
Trading activity remained strong with 432,562,364 shares exchanged in 12027 deals valued at N9.719 billion.
Access Holdings, Ellah Lakes, Fidelity Bank, Zenith Bank and United Bank for Africa were the most actively traded stocks.
Investor appetite for financial and energy equities reflected improved confidence in sectors expected to benefit from rising interest rates and policy adjustments.
Demand was also supported by expectations of stronger first-quarter results in key segments.
While some industrial stocks came under mild selling pressure, broad-based buying in other sectors offset the impact.
Analysts note that short-term interest is shifting toward companies with stable balance sheets and consistent dividend records.
Market participants are watching upcoming earnings reports and macroeconomic indicators for further signals.
The combination of strong liquidity and targeted accumulation has provided support in recent sessions despite broader volatility.
The equities market remains positioned for selective gains as investors adjust portfolios in response to sector-specific drivers and domestic economic developments.
