The Nigerian stock market extended its bullish run on Thursday as the All-Share Index (ASI) surged past the 171,000 mark for the first time, driven by strong buying interest in large-cap stocks.
The ASI gained 1,722.1 points, or 1.01 per cent, to close at 171,727.5, up from 170,005.4 in the previous session.
Market activity improved significantly, with trading volume rising to 953 million shares from 712.9 million shares recorded a day earlier.
Total market capitalisation climbed to ₦110.2 trillion, from ₦109.1 trillion, reflecting renewed investor confidence and broad-based demand.
Presco Plc led the market by value, recording trades worth ₦11.2 billion, the highest on the exchange for the session.
The latest rally lifted the market’s year-to-date return to 10.36 per cent, with the ASI now holding firmly above both the 170,000 and 171,000 psychological levels.
On the gainers’ chart:
- NAHCO, DeaP Cap, and Omatek each advanced by the maximum 10 per cent.
On the decliners’ table:
- TIP led losses, shedding 9.74 per cent
- DAARCOMM followed, down 7.32 per cent
Most Traded Stocks
By volume, trading was dominated by:
- Fidelity Bank – 92.3 million shares
- CHAMS – 69.2 million shares
- DeaP Cap – 59.1 million shares
- Access Holdings – 57.2 million shares
- Tantalizer – 48.5 million shares
By value, the top trades were:
- Presco – ₦11.2 billion
- MTNN – ₦3.5 billion
- GTCO – ₦3.1 billion
- Aradel – ₦2.7 billion
- Zenith Bank – ₦2.3 billion
Top Gainers
- NAHCO – up 10.00 per cent to ₦136.40
- DeaP Cap – up 10.00 per cent to ₦6.82
- Omatek – up 10.00 per cent to ₦2.64
- Zichis – up 9.98 per cent to ₦6.72
- Austinlaz – up 9.98 per cent to ₦5.40
Top Losers
- TIP – down 9.74 per cent to ₦19.45
- DAARCOMM – down 7.32 per cent to ₦1.90
- UCAP – down 6.55 per cent to ₦18.55
- WAPIC – down 5.71 per cent to ₦3.30
- FirstHoldCo – down 5.53 per cent to ₦47.00
SWOOTs and FUGAZ Performance
Among SWOOTs (stocks worth over ₦1 trillion), sentiment was broadly bullish:
- Aradel gained 5.88 per cent
- Dangote Cement rose 3.03 per cent
- Transcorp Hotels advanced 2.11 per cent
- MTNN added 1.66 per cent
- Lafarge Africa gained 1.21 per cent
Within the FUGAZ banking group:
- Zenith Bank rose 0.54 per cent
- GTCO gained 0.25 per cent
- Access Holdings closed flat
On the downside:
- FirstHoldCo declined 5.53 per cent
- UBA slipped 0.11 per cent
The ASI’s move above 171,000 points confirms a strong bullish trend and signals renewed investor confidence after weeks of cautious trading.
The rally was led by large-cap and SWOOT stocks, indicating that institutional participation is driving the market rather than speculative trades alone.
For investors, the momentum presents opportunities in high-quality, liquid stocks, though selective positioning remains crucial amid ongoing volatility.
The market’s 1.01 per cent daily gain reflects sustained buying interest that could push the ASI further into record territory in the near term.
Continued strength in large-cap stocks is expected to remain the key driver of market direction.
