On Wednesday, September 17, 2025, investors on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) recorded a collective gain of N310 billion as the All-Share Index (ASI) climbed by 0.35%. The surge was fueled by strong performances in key sectors, including oil and gas, consumer goods, and banking.
Market Performance Overview
The market capitalization of listed equities increased from N89.59 trillion to N89.9 trillion, reflecting robust investor confidence. The ASI rose by 489.43 points, closing at 142,036.23. This marked a weekly gain of 1.19%, despite a four-week decline of 0.4%. Year-to-date, the market has achieved an impressive return of 38%, highlighting its resilience amid periodic volatility.
Trading activity saw a significant uptick, with 1.004 billion shares exchanged in 23,272 deals, valued at N24.65 billion. Compared to the previous session, trading volume surged by 142%, and turnover increased by 90%. However, the number of deals dropped by 8%, indicating a trend toward higher-value transactions.
Sectoral Highlights
Several sectoral indices posted gains:
- The Oil & Gas Index led with a 2.59% increase, though its year-to-date performance remains at -8.44%.
- The Consumer Goods Index rose by 0.9%, boasting a year-to-date gain of 91.33%.
- The Main Board Index advanced by 0.43%.
- The Pension Index gained 0.4%.
- The Premium Index saw a modest rise of 0.18%.
Top Performers and Decliners
Among the 26 advancing stocks, Chellarams Plc topped the gainers’ list with a 9.77% increase, closing at N14.60 per share. Other notable performers included:
- Austin Laz & Company, up 9.67%.
- The Initiates Plc, gaining 8.08%.
- Sovereign Trust Insurance, rising 7.37%.
On the downside, Guinea Insurance led the losers with a 9.7% drop, closing at N1.49 per share. Other decliners included:
- Cornerstone Insurance, down 8.68%.
- Legend Internet, falling 7.27%.
- Deap Capital Management and Trust, declining 7.06%.
Market Context
The NGX’s positive performance comes amid global market dynamics, including uncertainty surrounding interest rate decisions and strong transaction volumes reported by the Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS), which recorded N2.1 trillion in transactions over four months. The sustained growth in Nigeria’s equity market reflects investor optimism and the potential for further gains as economic reforms continue to take shape.
