April 23, (THEWILL) — Trading on the Nigerian equities market closed on a positive note on Thursday, as key market indicators recorded strong gains driven by buying interest in select consumer goods and industrial stocks.
The market capitalisation of the Nigerian Exchange Limited opened the session at ₦141.384 trillion and rose to ₦143.477 trillion at the close of trading.
In the same vein, the All-Share Index (ASI) advanced from 219,586.92 points to 222,837.68 points, reflecting sustained investor appetite for equities.
Market breadth, however, closed slightly negative with 31 gainers against 34 losers, indicating pockets of profit-taking despite the overall market advance.
Top five gainers for the session
1. UACN gained 10.00 percent (₦121.00 to ₦133.10).
2. UNILEVER advanced 10.00 percent (₦110.00 to ₦121.00).
3. TRANSEXPR rose 9.97 percent (₦7.92 to ₦8.71).
4. TANTALIZER appreciated 9.80 percent (₦3.47 to ₦3.81).
5. DANGSUGAR increased 9.78 percent (₦66.95 to ₦73.50).
On the flip side, losses were recorded in several equities.
Top five decliners
1. MCNICHOLS declined 9.93 percent (₦7.15 to ₦6.44).
2. MULTIVERSE shed 9.85 percent (₦25.90 to ₦23.35).
3. WAPIC dipped 9.26 percent (₦2.70 to ₦2.45).
4. ABBEYBDS lost 9.24 percent (₦5.95 to ₦5.40).
5. JAPAULGOLD fell 5.94 percent (₦3.20 to ₦3.01).
Meanwhile, several notable counters including Seplat Energy, Presco Plc, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Golden Guinea Breweries Plc, Nestlé Nigeria Plc, and Unity Bank Plc closed flat for the session.
Market analysts noted that the session’s rally was largely supported by continued bargain hunting in consumer and industrial counters, even as intermittent profit-taking kept market breadth slightly negative.
Looking ahead, analysts expect mixed but cautiously optimistic trading, with investors likely to remain selective while monitoring corporate earnings releases and broader macroeconomic developments.
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.
