The Nigerian equities market rebounded on Thursday, November 27, 2025, recovering from the heavy losses recorded in the previous trading session and closing with a gain of N111.08 billion in market capitalization. The market’s total value rose to N91.1 trillion, representing a 0.12% increase from the N90.99 trillion posted on Wednesday. This positive turnaround stands in stark contrast to the roughly N443 billion decline witnessed the day before, signaling renewed investor confidence across key sectors.
Similarly, the benchmark NGX All-Share Index (ASI) advanced by 0.12%, closing at 143,239.23 points, compared to 143,064.57 points on Wednesday. The renewed momentum was driven largely by buying interests in major counters such as MTN Nigeria Communications Plc (MTNN), Nigerian Breweries (NB), and United Capital Plc (UCAP). MTNN recorded a gain of 1.08%, NB rose by 0.91%, while UCAP appreciated by 4.56%, all contributing significantly to the day’s bullish close.
Market breadth also reflected improved investor sentiment, closing positive at 1.74x, with 33 gainers outperforming 19 losers. This indicates broad-based buying activity and suggests that investors re-entered positions across several mid- and large-cap stocks after Wednesday’s sell pressure.
Key Market Indicators Strengthen
The market’s performance metrics provided further evidence of Thursday’s strengthening momentum.
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All-Share Index (ASI): +0.13% to 143,246.93
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Market Capitalization: +0.13% to N91.11 trillion
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Gainers: 33
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Losers: 20
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Total Deals: 18,094 (down 9.16%)
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Total Volume Traded: 316.49 million units (down 57.14%)
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Total Value Traded: N12.66 billion (down 64.38%)
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Year-to-Date Return: +39.17%
Though trading volumes and transaction values declined significantly, the positive close reflected selective accumulation of fundamentally strong stocks rather than broad speculative activity.
Sectoral Performance Mixed but Mostly Positive
Sector performance showed modest yet encouraging gains. The Insurance sector led with a 1.3% increase, followed by Consumer Goods and Banking, which each rose by 0.1%. The Oil & Gas and Industrial Goods indices closed flat, indicating minimal movement in those sectors.
Across individual stocks, top gainers included Ikeja Hotel and Linkage Assurance, both rising 10%, followed by Learn Africa and NCR, each up 9.96%, and Union Dicon, which gained 9.52%. Meanwhile, the top decliners were Champion Breweries (–9.85%), Sterling HoldCo (–8.33%), UPDC (–8.23%), C&I Leasing (–4.83%), and Guinea Insurance (–4.35%).
Drivers of the Rebound
The market’s recovery was largely powered by gains in major large- and mid-cap equities. In addition to MTNN and NB, stocks such as HONYFLOUR (+6.4%), ACCESSCORP (+1.0%), and several tier-1 banks—GTCO, UBA, Fidelity Bank, FCMB, and FBN Holdings—also contributed meaningfully. The financial services sector, in particular, provided a strong backbone for the rebound, aided by rising investor appetite for banking and insurance counters.
Hospitality, insurance, and construction stocks also recorded strong demand, reflecting optimism about corporate earnings and broader economic prospects.
Despite the upbeat performance, trading activity weakened significantly. Transaction volume dropped by 56% to 324.55 million units valued at N13.05 billion, executed in 18,328 deals. Fidelity Bank led by volume with 32.20 million units traded, while GTCO topped by value at N2.27 billion.
Overall, Thursday’s rebound signaled renewed confidence in the equities market after a volatile session, helped by strategic interest in large-cap stocks and improved sentiment across financial, consumer, and insurance sectors.
