Financial, oil gains push NGX to N158.4tn

The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) experienced a robust trading session on Tuesday, as bullish sentiment propelled the market capitalization to N158.40tn, marking an increase of N650bn from the previous trading day. The All-Share Index also showcased an upward trend, surging by 2,081.41 points to settle at 244,304.51 points, the highest level since September 9. Trading volume surged to 520.65 million shares across 71,977 deals, fueled by institutional interest in growth-oriented equities.

Key sectors witnessed strong performance, with financial and energy stocks leading the rally. Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX) showed a significant gain of 9.95%, closing at N179.00 per share. Aradel Holdings Plc and Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc also contributed to the upward momentum, advancing by 9.62% and 9.50% respectively. Conversely, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated was among the few losers, losing 10% to close at N66.60 per share.

Despite the overall positive trend, certain indexes faced slight setbacks. The NGX Insurance Index and NGX Industrial Index experienced minor declines, while the NGX Oil and Gas Index rose due to strength in energy-related equities. The NGX Consumer Goods Index and NGX Banking Index also showed steady appreciation.

Investors remained cautious, as the Central Bank of Nigeria maintained its Monetary Policy Rate at 26.50%. The Exchange-Traded Funds and Fixed Income segments witnessed moderate participation, with notable gains in the SIAML Pension ETF and Lotus Halal Equity ETF. In the debt market, a decline was observed in the 17.121% FGS JUN 2028 bond, with a price drop of 1% to N99.00 per unit.