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Nigerian equities market added ₦235 billion on Friday as the NGX All-Share Index rose 0.15 percent, extending its recovery despite mixed trading activity.
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Investors remained selective, with UPDC, CWG and MANSARD among the session’s biggest gainers, while Red Star Express, CAP and John Holt led the decliners.
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Market breadth remained slightly negative as 22 stocks gained against 24 decliners, keeping investor sentiment cautious heading into the new trading week.
August 07, (THEWILL) — Nigeria’s equities market closed higher on Friday, with investors gaining approximately ₦235 billion as buying interest in selected counters pushed the benchmark index further into positive territory.
The NGX All-Share Index (ASI) rose by 364.26 points, or 0.15 percent, to close at 245,573.60 from 245,209.34 recorded at the previous session.
Similarly, market capitalisation increased from ₦158.278 trillion at the opening of trading to ₦158.513 trillion at the close, representing a gain of ₦235 billion.
Despite the positive movement in the benchmark index, market breadth remained slightly negative, with 22 gainers against 24 decliners, pointing to a cautious trading environment as investors continued to rotate across selected stocks.
READ ALSO: Top 5 Dividend-Paying Companies On NGX In 2026
Investor sentiment remained mixed during the session. While the continued rise in the ASI and market capitalisation suggests that buying interest remains present, the negative breadth shows that investors were still cautious and selective in deploying fresh funds.
The strong performances recorded by UPDC and CWG were offset by sharp declines in Red Star Express, CAP and John Holt, indicating continued profit-taking and repositioning across individual counters.
Top Five Gainers
- UPDC gained 9.23 percent (moving from ₦3.25 to ₦3.55).
- CWG gained 6.56 percent (moving from ₦18.30 to ₦19.50).
- MANSARD gained 4.80 percent (moving from ₦12.50 to ₦13.10).
- NEIMETH gained 4.24 percent (moving from ₦8.25 to ₦8.60).
- CUTIX gained 4.00 percent (moving from ₦2.50 to ₦2.60).
Top Five Decliners
- REDSTAREX declined by 10.00 percent (falling from ₦20.00 to ₦18.00).
- CAP declined by 9.98 percent (moving from ₦128.25 to ₦115.45).
- JOHNHOLT declined by 9.82 percent (falling from ₦11.20 to ₦10.10).
- ABCTRANS declined by 9.57 percent (moving from ₦5.75 to ₦5.20).
- LEGENDINT declined by 8.70 percent (falling from ₦4.60 to ₦4.20).
READ ALSO: NGX Emerges Africa’s Second-Best Performing Stock Market With 47.4 Percent H1 Return
Meanwhile, Dangote Cement, Seplat Energy, Presco Plc, U.A.C.N Plc, Julius Berger and several other stocks closed flat for the session.
Going into the next trading session, investor attention is likely to remain focused on market breadth and the ability of the ASI to sustain its upward momentum. Continued buying interest in selected stocks could support further gains, although profit-taking and weak participation across several counters may limit the market’s upside.
The next session is, therefore, expected to remain largely stock-specific, with investors likely to favour counters with strong fundamentals and fresh catalysts.
Ogochukwu Onwaeze is a writer specializing in business and economic journalism. At THEWILL News Media, she translates market trends, financial developments, and policy shifts into clear and engaging stories.
