…The Naira appreciated by 0.59% to close at ₦1,372.41
https://www.digital.zenithbank.com/ZEQ/ZEQ-jan-2026/index.html#p=1The Nigerian equities market commenced the year’s third quarter on a bearish note as widespread sell-pressure in large-cap Oil & Gas, Banking, and Industrial Goods stocks dragged the benchmark All-Share Index (ASI) down by 1.63% to close at 225,690.07 points. The decline erased the gains recorded in the previous session, reflecting renewed risk aversion among investors
The negative closure was steered by losses in ARADEL, DANGCEM, NASCON, GTCO, UBA, ZENITHBANK, and FIDELITYBK, alongisde 25 other losing stocks
Consequently, the market’s year-to-date (YTD) return moderated to 45.03% as market capitalization contracted by 1.63% to settle at ₦144.82 trillion, erasing ₦2.39 trillion from the local bourse
Sectoral performance was predominantly negative, with four of the five tracked indices closing in the red, while the other closed in the green. The Oil & Gas Index took the hardest hit, plunging 4.41% on major losses in heavyweight ARADEL.
The Banking Index and the Industrial Goods Index followed closely, both suffering a 1.49% contraction, as liquidations continued in tickers such as ZENITHBANK, FCMB, GTCO, and WEMABANK for banking, and DANGCEM and CUTIX for industrial goods. A
lso, the Consumer Goods Index dipped 0.93% on portfolio trimming in MCNICHOLS, NASCON, INTBREW, and CHAMPION. Meanwhile, the Insurance Index bucked the broader market trend, advancing 0.42% buoyed by renewed interest in GUINEAINS, REGALINS, SOVRENINS, and WAPIC.
MARKET ACTIVITY: Market activity was broadly negative as total traded volume contracted by 49.50% to 488.12 million units, while total traded value dropped sharply by 65.09% to settle at ₦13.96 billion.
MARKET BREADTH: The market breadth, which measures investor sentiment through the Gainers/Losers ratio, maintained the same position as of the previous session at 0.59x as 19 stocks appreciated, 32 stocks depreciated, and 79 stocks closed flat.
FIXED INCOME MARKET: The average yield of the Treasury Bill market closed bullish at 18.51%, while the Bond market experienced bearish pressure at 17.62%.
The Naira appreciated by 0.53% to close at ₦1,372.41/$
