The Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) ended Friday's trading session slightly lower, with market capitalization dipping by N20 billion to close at N163.66 trillion. The NGX All-Share Index (ASI) fell 0.015% to 252,113.41 points from 252,150.01 points.
Despite this marginal decline, the market breadth was positive, with 39 stocks gaining while 27 declined. Zichis Agro Allied Industries Plc emerged as the top gainer, rising 10% to N17.60, followed by Critical Minerals Financing Corp Plc and R.T. Briscoe (Nigeria) Plc with gains of 9.76% and 9.74%, respectively.
Market Activity Highlights
The financial services sector dominated trading activity, accounting for over 486 million shares exchanged. Fidelity Bank Plc led the volume with 212.77 million shares traded, while the NGX Banking Index saw a slight decline of 0.69%.
Other sectors, including conglomerates and ICT, also saw significant trading volumes, with notable performances from Transnational Corporation Plc and Chams Holding Company Plc. Despite the overall market's slight pullback, investor participation remained robust across various sectors.
This recent decline follows a strong rally earlier in the week, where market capitalization gained N622 billion, marking a significant milestone as it crossed the N163 trillion mark for the first time. Investors continue to engage actively, reflecting a broad-based interest in the market.