The Nigerian Exchange rebounded on Monday, gaining N539.98bn in market capitalisation and effectively reversing losses recorded in the previous week.
The benchmark All-Share Index rose by 924.38 points, or 0.85 per cent to close at 109,953.00 basis points, compared to 109,028.62 points recorded on Friday.
Consequently, the market capitalisation rose from N68.8 tn to N69.3 tn, reflecting renewed investor interest across major sectors.
The uptrend was driven by gains in large and mid-cap stocks, with Aradel Holdings Plc leading the gainers’ chart with a 9.98 per cent increase to close at N505.90 per share. Other top gainers included University Press Plc, which appreciated by 9.86 per cent to close at N4.79; Associated Bus Company Plc, which gained 8.43 per cent to close at N2.70; and Linkage Assurance Plc, which added 8.16 per cent to settle at N1.59 per share.
On the flip side, Tripple Gee & Company Plc led the losers’ chart with a 10 per cent drop to close at N2.07 per share. MRS Oil Nigeria Plc declined by 9.97 per cent to N141.80, Chellarams Plc shed 9.96 per cent to N10.58, while Union Homes Real Estate Investment Trust fell by 9.95 per cent to N45.70 per share.
The day’s trading session saw a total of 414.51 million shares exchanged in 19,775 deals, corresponding to a market value of N11.09bn. However, when compared with the previous trading day, Friday, May 23, volume declined by 35 per cent, turnover dropped by 39 per cent, while the number of deals increased by 24 per cent signalling rising investor activity despite reduced volumes.
Fidelity Bank Plc emerged as the most actively traded stock with 46.8 million shares, followed by Custodian & Allied Plc (37.2 million), Access Holdings Plc (35.9 million), and Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (24.9 million).
Across the broader indices, performance was also positive. The Top 30 Index rose by 0.65 per cent; the NGX Oil & Gas Index climbed 3.02 per cent; the Consumer Goods Index advanced by 2.2 per cent; and the Main Board Index gained 1.12 per cent. The Premium Board Index and Pension Index appreciated by 0.33 per cent and 0.29 per cent, respectively.
Year-to-date, the All-Share Index has now returned 6.83 per cent, reflecting cautious optimism among investors navigating macroeconomic headwinds such as interest rate volatility and exchange rate pressures.
Last week, analysts at Afrinvest anticipated a rebound in investor sentiment driven by bargain hunting, stating, “Next week, we expect investors to take advantage of re-entry opportunities into fundamentally sound tickers following recent price depreciation.”
The PUNCH reported that the Nigerian Exchange closed the week on a bearish note as the market lost ₦197bn in capitalisation, driven by weak investor sentiment and profit-taking across major counters.
