The Nigerian equities market reversed its recent slide on Friday, closing the week on a positive note as investors recorded gains of N3.24 trillion.
The All‑Share Index (ASI) rose 5,041.22 points, or 2.10 percent, to finish at 244,775.83, up from 239,734.61 in the previous session. The year‑to‑date return therefore climbed to 57.30 percent. Market breadth was also positive, with 45 stocks advancing against 31 declining.
Among the top gainers, Dangote Cement, Cadbury, Mecure, Neimeth and Livingtrust Mortgage each posted gains near 10 percent, closing at N1,088, N72.60, N72.60, N9.90 and N3.52 per share respectively. On the losing side, UACN and Industrial and Medical Gases each fell about 10 percent, ending at N171 and N42.30 per share. Other notable decliners included Eterna (‑9.93 percent, N33.55), Learn Africa (‑9.89 percent, N8.20) and Deap Capital Management (‑9.69 percent, N5.50).
Trading activity slowed compared with the previous day. Total volume fell 36.89 percent to 1.16 billion shares, representing N59.80 billion in value across 72,733 deals. Access Corporation led in share volume, with 104.43 million shares exchanged, accounting for 9.04 percent of daily turnover. In value terms, MTN Nigeria was the most traded stock, with transactions worth N7.39 billion, or 12.35 percent of the total value traded.
The rebound highlights renewed investor confidence after a period of weakness in the market. The continued upward trajectory of the ASI and robust YTD return suggest that capital inflows remain strong, despite the reduced daily trading volume. Market participants will be watching upcoming earnings releases and macro‑economic data for signals that could influence the next trading session.
