January 30, (THEWILL) — The Nigerian equities market closed higher on Friday, with market capitalization rising from N105.969 at the open to N106.153 at the close. In contrast, the NGX All-Share Index (ASI) dipped slightly from 165,527.31 to 165,370.40, reflecting mixed price movements across listed stocks.
Market breadth remained mildly positive, as 34 stocks advanced against 31 decliners, indicating a balanced but slightly bullish trading session.
The top gainers include:
ZICHIS grew 9.97 percent (N3.81 to N4.19).
ABBEYBDS gained 9.94 percent (opened at N8.55 and closed at N9.40).
RTBRISCOE added 9.93 percent (advanced from N7.15 to N7.86).
HMCALL advanced 9.90 percent (rose from N3.94 to N4.33).
OMATEK gained 9.89 percent (rising from the opening price of N2.73 to N3.00).
The top laggers include:
LIVESTOCK recorded a loss of -10.00 percent (N7.00 to N6.30).
LEARNAFRCA fell by -10.00 percent (moving down from N9.00 to N8.10).
LIVINGTRUST declined -10.00 percent (opening at N4.50 and closing at N4.05).
DEAPCAP recorded a percentage drop of -9.97 percent (from N10.43 to N9.39).
MCNICHOLS dipped -9.97 percent (fell from N7.05 to N6.35).
Several heavyweight stocks closed unchanged for the session, including MTN Nigeria Communications, Seplat Energy, Lafarge Africa Plc, Dangote Cement, Custodian Investment, and Julius Berger.
Investor sentiment was cautiously positive, as buying interest in select stocks supported gains despite notable selloffs in others, reflecting a market driven by selective positioning rather than broad-based confidence.
Overall, Friday’s trading reflected cautious optimism, with modest gains in market value supported by selective buying, even as some stocks faced profit-taking pressure.
Ogochukwu Onwaeze
