Follow Us on Google
By Chukwuma Umeorah
Banking stocks staged a strong comeback in last week trading activities on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) as renewed appetite for tier-one counters lifted the NGX Banking Index by 1.68 per cent to close at 1,530.61 points. The sector’s rebound helped consolidate market gains, with the All-Share Index (ASI) advancing by 1.13 per cent to 140,545.69 points.
Data from the NGX showed that the market capitalisation rose by N985 billion during the week, closing at N88.92 trillion. This performance pushed the year-to-date (YtD) return to 36.55 per cent, underscoring investors’ sustained interest in equities despite high yields in fixed income instruments.
Trading activity was equally robust, as investors exchanged 3.188 billion shares worth N99.69 billion in 132,711 deals. This was higher than the 3.117 billion shares valued at N90.29 billion traded in 118,018 deals the previous week. The Financial Services Industry dominated the activity chart, accounting for 71.59 per cent of the total turnover volume and 38.94 per cent of value, with 2.282 billion shares worth N38.81 billion traded in 57,934 deals.
Other sectors also recorded gains, reflecting broad-based investor sentiment. The Insurance Index led with a 2.45 per cent increase, buoyed by renewed interest in low-priced counters, while the Oil and Gas Index rose 2.38 per cent on the back of downstream plays. The Industrial Goods Index added 1.13 per cent, while Consumer Goods gained 0.98 per cent.
Market breadth improved significantly as 70 equities appreciated in price, compared to 22 that declined, while 55 remained unchanged. This contrasted with the previous week when only 19 stocks gained against 64 decliners.
Individual stock performance showed that E-Tranzact International Plc emerged the best-performing stock, rising by 45.15 per cent to close at N14.95 from N10.30. Regency Assurance Plc gained 27.69 per cent to close at N1.66 per share, while Chellarams Plc advanced 26.67 per cent to N13.30. DAAR Communications Plc appreciated 23.26 per cent to N1.06, and Royal Exchange Plc rose 22.34 per cent to N2.30.
University Press Plc closed at N5.99 after a 19.80 per cent increase, while NCR Nigeria Plc gained 19.69 per cent to N15.20. AIICO Insurance Plc rose to N4.17 after a 19.48 per cent increase, Chams Holding Company Plc advanced 16.07 per cent to N3.25, and Champion Breweries rounded off the top ten gainers with a 13.33 per cent rise to N17.00.
Conversely, Union Dicon Salt Plc topped the losers’ chart, shedding 18.33 per cent to close at N9.80 from N12.00. Thomas Wyatt Plc followed with a 16.33 per cent decline to N2.51, while Secure Electronic Technology Plc fell 10.42 per cent to N0.86. Nigerian Enamelware Plc dropped 10 per cent to N35.10, while May & Baker Nigeria Plc depreciated 9.97 percent to N16.25. Other notable laggards were NEM Insurance Plc, which declined to N28.10; Eterna Plc, down to N31.00; Academy Press Plc, which closed at N8.85; Transnational Corporation Plc, down to N46.10; and Consolidated Hallmark Holdings Plc, which fell to N4.09.
The NGX also disclosed that it had lifted the suspension on the shares of Regency Alliance Insurance Plc after the company filed its outstanding financial statements. Trading in the insurer’s shares resumed on September 9, 2025, following compliance with the Exchange’s Default Filing Rules. The suspension had been imposed under the Exchange’s Default Filing Rules, which mandate the halting of transactions in any issuer’s securities when accounts are not submitted within the regulatory timeframe.
In its outlook for the equities market, Cowry Research observed that “sustained investor interest in bellwether stocks and improved market liquidity could extend the positive momentum. However, weak market breadth highlights lingering caution, suggesting that gains may remain selective across sectors.”
Cowry further advised that investors continued “to take position in stocks with strong fundamentals as the market awaits the release of inflation data and the next Monetary Policy Committee meeting later in the month.”
