NGX ASI Surpasses 200,000 Points, Investors Gain N2 Trillion in Single Day
Nigeria's stock market experienced an unprecedented rally, with the All-Share Index (ASI) crossing the 200,000-point milestone, following robust investor demand and widespread gains across key sectors. The benchmark index surged by 1.55 percent to close at 201,474.89 points, up from 198,407.3 points in the previous trading session.
This remarkable performance has propelled the month-to-date return of the ASI to 4.48 percent and the year-to-date return to 29.47 percent, underscoring the strong momentum in the market. Market capitalization expanded significantly to N129.33 trillion, up from N127.36 trillion recorded on Friday, representing a gain of nearly N2 trillion, driven largely by large-cap stocks.
Market Leaders Comment on Milestone
Temi Popoola, Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Exchange Group, hailed this achievement as a clear indicator of growing confidence in Nigeria's capital market. He emphasized that ongoing reforms are bolstering domestic capital formation, with the market responding positively to increased local investor participation, improving corporate fundamentals, and continuous market modernization efforts.
Jude Chiemeka, Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Exchange Limited, attributed the milestone to sustained demand and active market engagement. He noted that crossing the 200,000-point mark reflects strong investor interest and consistent demand across key sectors, with a focus on deepening liquidity, enhancing trading infrastructure, and ensuring efficient price discovery for a resilient marketplace.
Trading Activity and Stock Performance
Trading activity remained robust, with total deals rising to 72,700, while investors exchanged 948.1 million shares valued at N49.15 billion. Financial services stocks dominated transactions by volume, highlighting heightened investor interest in this sector.
Among the top gainers were BUA Cement Plc, which recorded a 10 percent increase to close at N297, Premier Paints Plc with a 9.79 percent gain to N21.30, John Holt Plc rising by 9.52 percent to N10.35, Guinea Insurance Plc up by 9.38 percent to N1.40, and FTN Cocoa Processors Plc. On the other hand, decliners included VFD Group Plc, which led the losers' chart with a 10 percent drop to N11.25, Royal Exchange Plc declining by 9.63 percent to N1.69, Omatek Ventures Plc down by 9.62 percent to N2.35, Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc depreciating by nine percent to N1.92, and Regency Alliance Insurance Plc falling by 8.94 percent to N1.12.
Market breadth was positive, with 38 advancing stocks surpassing 31 declining counters. The total volume rose by 60.43 percent to 948.212 million units, valued at N49.173 billion, exchanged in 72,735 deals. Transactions in Sovereign Trust Insurance shares topped the activity chart with 72.564 million shares valued at N147.12 million, followed by Access Holdings with 69.856 million shares worth N1.759 billion, First HoldCo with 67.031 million shares valued at N3.354 billion, Zenith Bank with 59.953 million shares worth N5.957 billion, and Nigerian Breweries with 55.029 million shares valued at N4.032 billion.
This latest milestone highlights the sustained momentum in Nigeria's equities market, which continues to attract growing interest from both domestic and institutional investors, reinforcing its role as a catalyst for long-term wealth creation and sustainable economic growth.
