Stock Market Posts N1.77trn Gain In Shortened 3-day Week

The Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) capped off a historic, albeit brief, trading week with a gain of N1.77 trillion in market capitalisation.

Despite the week being shortened to only three trading days (Monday to Wednesday) due to the Eid-el-Fitr public holidays on March 19 and 20, 2026, the market sustained its bullish momentum.

The NGX All-Share Index (ASI) and Market Capitalisation appreciated by 1.39 per cent to close the trading week to Wednesday, March 18 at 201,156.86 points and N129.126 trillion respectively from a low of 198,407.30 points and N127.361 trillion respectively in the preceding week.

This marks a massive milestone as the index officially crossed and sustained the 200,000-point threshold for the first time in history.

The market’s performance remains one of the strongest globally, with year-to-date (YtD) gains now hovering around 30 per cent.

The week’s activity was heavily concentrated in three specific stocks, which accounted for approximately 69.44 per cent of total equity turnover. These stocks are: E-Tranzact International Plc, FCMB Group Pl, and Wema Bank Plc.

Trading in these top three equities, measured by volume, accounted for 6.084 billion shares worth N40.661 billion in 5,570 deals, contributing 69.44 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and 15.21 per cent to the total equity turnover value.

In the holiday-shortened week, 48 equities appreciated, compared with 34 in the preceding week.

Forty-three equities depreciated in price, lower than 61 equities in the preceding week, while 57 equities remained unchanged, higher than 53 recorded in the preceding trading week.

The market recorded a total turnover of 8.761 billion shares worth N267.253 billion, traded in 193,473 deals by investors on the floor of the Exchange, compared with a total of 3.321 billion shares valued at N164.845 billion that exchanged hands the preceding week in 318,907 deals.

All other indices finished the week higher with the exception of NGX Insurance, NGX AFR Div Yield, NGX Consumer Goods, NGX Oil & Gas, NGX Lotus II and NGX Commodity, which depreciated by 0.42 per cent, 2.34 per cent, 0.10 per cent, 4.78 percent, 2.76 percent and 4.91 percent respectively, while the NGX Sovereign Bond index closed flat.

The ICT Industry (measured by volume) led the activity chart with 5.330 billion shares valued at N46.825 billion traded in 21,573 deals: thus contributing 60.84 per cent and 17.52 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value, respectively.

The Financial Services Industry followed with 2.765 billion shares worth N95.892 billion in 75,103 deals. Third place was the Consumer Goods Industry, with a turnover of 174.484 million shares worth N20.805 billion in 20,693 deals.