Investors lose N440bn in one week amid volatile trading week

By Seun Ibiyemi

Investors in Nigeria’s equities market witnessed a substantial loss of N440 billion over the just-concluded trading week at the Nigerian Exchange (NGX), following a turbulent series of sessions marked by more downswings than gains.

This decline comes on the heels of the previous week’s performance, where investors had recorded a modest profit of N110 billion.

During the five-session trading week, the market managed to end in the green on only two occasions, eventually closing the week with a net loss of N440 billion. The overall market capitalisation fell to N65.707 trillion, down from N66.147 trillion at the close of the prior week.

In a similar trajectory, the All-Share Index (ASI) dipped by 0.90%, finishing at 104,563.34 points, compared to 105,511.89 points recorded the week before.

The trading week commenced on Monday, 7 April 2025, on a bearish note, with investors losing a staggering N658 billion in a single session. A slight recovery followed on Tuesday, 8 April, when the market recorded a gain of N100.45 billion. However, losses returned on Wednesday, 9 April, as N119.22 billion was wiped off the market’s value.

Thursday, 10 April, brought some relief, with investors pocketing gains worth N381.90 billion. But this rebound was short-lived as Friday, 11 April, saw the market slipping again, this time shedding N145.41 billion.

Despite the week’s generally negative sentiment, trading activity was significantly higher. Investors exchanged 2.094 billion shares worth N52.967 billion across 64,612 deals, reflecting a notable increase from the previous week’s 1.183 billion shares valued at N28.868 billion in 42,397 deals.

The Financial Services sector led the activity board by volume, with 1.539 billion shares valued at N36.353 billion traded in 36,013 deals. This amounted to 73.49% of total share volume and 68.63% of the week’s total transaction value.

Trailing behind was the Agriculture sector, which saw 98.884 million shares change hands, worth N1.344 billion in 2,772 deals. The Services sector followed closely, recording a turnover of 93 million shares valued at N522.147 million in 3,012 deals.

Access Holdings Plc, Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, and Zenith Bank Plc were the most traded equities in terms of volume. Collectively, these three accounted for 629.327 million shares valued at N25.820 billion across 12,742 deals—representing 30.06% of total volume and 48.75% of total value for the week.

In terms of market breadth, 27 equities saw an increase in their share prices—an improvement on the 23 recorded the week before. However, 56 equities declined in value, up from 51 in the previous week. Meanwhile, 64 equities remained unchanged, down from 73 previously.

VFD Group Plc emerged as the week’s best performer, with its share price soaring by 53.86%. Union Dicon Salt Plc followed with a gain of 31.03%, while Abbey Mortgage Bank Plc posted a respectable rise of 29.60%.

On the downside, Royal Exchange Plc suffered the steepest drop, with its share price falling by 20.79%. Cornerstone Insurance Plc also took a hit, losing 15.15%, while Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc declined by 15.00%.