On September 7, 2025, the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) reported a significant drop in market activity, with investors losing N832 billion in market capitalization over a four-day trading week.
The All-Share Index (ASI), which tracks the performance of all listed stocks, fell by 0.94 percent, closing at 138,980.01 points on September 4, 2025, compared to 140,295.50 points the previous week.
Market capitalization similarly declined from N88.76 trillion to N87.93 trillion, reflecting cautious trading by investors, according to data from the NGX.
The week, shortened by a public holiday on September 5, 2025, for Eid-ul-Maulud, saw investors trade 3.11 billion shares valued at N90.29 billion across 118,018 deals. This marked a 2.56 percent decrease in trading volume from the prior week’s 3.19 billion shares worth N85.39 billion in 142,477 deals.
The financial services sector, dominated by banks like Access Holdings Plc and Fidelity Bank Plc, led activity with 2.54 billion shares worth N30.35 billion in 52,390 deals, accounting for 81.55 percent of total volume and 33.62 percent of value.
The services sector, including companies like Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc, followed with 114.61 million shares valued at N816.38 million in 6,098 deals, while the consumer goods sector, featuring firms like PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc, traded 105.45 million shares worth N5.49 billion in 13,346 deals.
Top performers included Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc, which saw its share price rise by 14.23 percent to N2.97 per share from N2.60 on September 4, 2025, and Secure Electronic Technology, which gained 12.94 percent to close at N0.96 per share.
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However, PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc suffered the largest loss, with its share price dropping 36.90 percent to N32, down N4.90 from the week’s start. Sovereign Trust Insurance, Access Holdings, and Fidelity Bank were the most traded equities, accounting for 1.68 billion shares worth N9.81 billion, or 54.05 percent of total volume and 10.87 percent of value.
The market’s downturn reflects broader economic concerns, with investors shifting toward safer assets like bonds and treasury bills, as noted in a September 3, 2025, report. The Central Bank of Nigeria’s planned sale of treasury bills on September 4, 2025, likely influenced this cautious approach.
Sectors like insurance and industrial goods saw significant declines, with indices dropping 2.23 percent and 1.47 percent, respectively, while the energy sector gained a modest 0.10 percent.
Analysts suggest that the holiday-shortened week and investor preference for low-risk investments contributed to the reduced activity.
The NGX’s data aligns with trends observed earlier in 2025, such as a 20.5 percent trade drop in late August, indicating ongoing market volatility. Investors are closely watching upcoming economic policies and global market signals to guide future trading decisions.
