The Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) snapped a one-day losing streak on Tuesday, closing higher with total market capitalisation rising by N93.48 billion to N106.44 trillion, as renewed buying interest lifted sentiment across key counters.
The All-Share Index advanced modestly by 144.33 points, or 0.09%, to settle at 166,256.83 points — up from Monday’s 166,112.50 reflecting selective bargain hunting and portfolio repositioning amid cautious optimism.
Trading activity strengthened in volume and value terms, though the number of deals declined. A total of 795.46 million shares changed hands in 45,390 deals, valued at N19.98 billion. This represented a 26% increase in volume and a 35% rise in turnover value compared with the previous session, while deals fell 22%.
Of the 130 equities that traded, market breadth favoured the bulls: 39 stocks gained while 25 declined.
Red Star Express led the gainers’ table, hitting the daily 10% upper limit to close at N15.95 per share. Deap Capital Management & Trust and NPF Microfinance Bank also locked in maximum 10% gains, while NCR Nigeria advanced 9.97%.
On the downside, Aluminium Extrusion Industries recorded the steepest drop, shedding 9.95% to close at N17.20 per share. Jaiz Bank fell 9.88% to N7.21, FTN Cocoa Processors declined 8.44%, and UPDC eased 8.06%.
Volume leaders were dominated by mid- and small-cap names: Tantalizers topped the list with 87.0 million shares traded, followed by Secure Electronic Technology (74.2 million), Zichis Agro Allied Industries (69.6 million), and Zenith Bank (49.1 million).
By value, GTCO led transactions with trades worth N3.79 billion, supported by strong turnover in Zenith Bank (N3.53 billion), Aradel Holdings (N2.80 billion), MTN Nigeria (N964.6 million), and Access Holdings (N692.0 million).
Tuesday’s recovery comes after the market opened the week in the red on Monday, shedding N10.9 billion in capitalisation. Analysts attribute the rebound to selective buying in fundamentally strong names and repositioning ahead of corporate earnings season, even as broader macroeconomic uncertainties persist.
With market capitalisation now firmly above N106 trillion, the NGX continues to demonstrate resilience in early 2026. Investors will be watching closely to see whether Tuesday’s momentum can carry forward or if profit-taking resurfaces in the coming sessions. For now, the exchange has bounced back, signalling that the bulls are not yet ready to relinquish control.
