Nigeria’s stock market closed on a positive note on Wednesday as the benchmark index on the Nigerian Exchange Ltd (NGX) rose by 0.18 percent, driven by renewed investor interest in banking and financial services stocks.
Data from the exchange showed that the All-Share Index (ASI) gained 343.9 points to close at 196,807.2 points, while market capitalisation climbed to about N126.3 trillion. The marginal gain reflects cautious optimism among investors as the market continues to trade close to the 200,000-point psychological mark.
Trading activity, however, slowed compared to the previous session, with investors exchanging about 634 million shares during the day’s trading.
Jaiz Bank Plc emerged as the most actively traded stock by volume, recording about 137.3 million shares. It was followed by Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc with 45.4 million shares and Access Holdings Plc with 29.7 million shares.
Other notable trades included Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc with 27.1 million shares and Zenith Bank Plc with 24.3 million shares.
In terms of value, Guaranty Trust Holdings Plc led the market with transactions worth about N5.4 billion. It was followed by Aradel Holdings Plc with N4.6 billion, while MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, Zenith Bank Plc and Jaiz Bank Plc also recorded significant trade values.
Market analysts say the modest rise suggests investors remain selective, balancing bargain hunting with profit-taking as the NGX approaches a key performance threshold.
