The Nigerian stock market began the new year on a strong footing, delivering an impressive ₦155 billion gain to investors during the first trading session of 2025. This performance was largely driven by positive momentum in Tier-one banking stocks, including Zenith Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA), FBN Holdings, and Access Corporation.
Market Highlights
The market capitalization, which opened at ₦62.763 trillion, increased by ₦155 billion or 0.25%, closing at ₦62.918 trillion. Similarly, the All-Share Index (ASI) rose by 254 points, moving from 102,926.40 to 103,180.14, reflecting a 0.25% gain. The Year-To-Date (YTD) return also stood at 0.25%.
Market breadth was positive, with 58 gainers compared to just eight losers.
Top Gainers
Leading the gainers’ chart were:
- Cornerstone Insurance: +10%, closing at ₦3.96 per share.
- Cutix Plc: +10%, closing at ₦2.53 per share.
- International Energy Insurance Plc: +10%, closing at ₦1.87 per share.
- NCR Nigeria: +10%, closing at ₦5.50 per share.
- Axa Mansard Insurance: +10%, closing at ₦9.02 per share.
Top Losers
On the losing side:
- Ellah Lakes Plc: -4.75%, closing at ₦3.01 per share.
- National Salt Company: -4.31%, closing at ₦30 per share.
- Computer Warehouse Group: -3.25%, closing at ₦7.45 per share.
- Fidelity Bank: -2.86%, closing at ₦17 per share.
- International Breweries Plc: -0.90%, closing at ₦5.50 per share.
Market Activity
Trading activity showed a decline in turnover compared to the previous session.
- Shares Traded: 829.75 million shares valued at ₦5.67 billion were exchanged across 11,752 deals.
- Comparison: This was a drop from the prior session, where 437.76 million shares valued at ₦40.34 billion were traded in 8,830 deals.
Bottom Line
The Nigerian stock market’s strong start to 2025 reflects investor optimism and robust activity in key sectors, particularly banking. While turnover declined compared to the previous session, the market’s positive breadth and gains across major equities set an encouraging tone for the year ahead.
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