April 09, (THEWILL) — The Nigerian equities market closed higher today, Thursday’s trading session as gains in select mid-cap and insurance stocks lifted the benchmark index further above the 203,000-point mark.
Market capitalisation advanced from ₦130.404 trillion at the opening of trade to ₦130.773 trillion at the close, reflecting a ₦369 billion gain for investors.
Similarly, the All-Share Index (ASI) climbed from 202,585.54 points to 203,161.81 points, underscoring continued positive sentiment in the equities market.
Despite the upward movement in the benchmark index, market breadth remained relatively balanced, with 30 gainers against 31 losers, suggesting that the day’s rally was driven by selective buying rather than broad-based market participation.
In the price movement chart,
TRANSEXPR led the gainers’ table with a 9.94 percent appreciation, (rising from ₦3.12 to ₦3.43).
INTENEGINS followed closely with a 9.84 percent gain, (advancing from ₦3.15 to ₦3.46).
UPDCREIT recorded a 9.63 percent increase, (moving from ₦6.75 to ₦7.40).
GUINEAINS climbed 9.52 percent (from ₦1.05 to ₦1.15).
REGALINS rounded out the top gainers with a 9.18 percent rise (from ₦0.98 to ₦1.07).
On the losers’ table,
LIVINGTRUST posted the steepest decline, shedding -10.00 percent (to drop from ₦4.80 to ₦4.32).
RTBRISCOE followed with a -9.94 percent decrease (from ₦9.86 to ₦8.88).
TANTALIZER declined -9.55 percent, (falling from ₦4.40 to ₦3.98).
LIVESTOCK lost -9.40 percent, (slipping from ₦7.45 to ₦6.75).
VFDGROUP completed the laggards’ list with a -8.85 percent drop (from ₦11.30 to ₦10.30).
Meanwhile, several bellwether stocks closed the session unchanged. Notable among them were MTN Nigeria Communications, Dangote Cement, Custodian Investment Plc, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, and Champion Breweries Plc, which all closed flat alongside several others.
Overall, the session reflects sustained investor interest in selective counters, even as the near balance between gainers and losers indicates a market still undergoing sectoral rotation and profit-taking following recent rallies.
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.
