Nigeria Equities Market sustains gain… ASI up 1.2%

The benchmark index rose 121bps to close at 41,584.94 points following strong demand in AIRTELAF (+7.6%), MTNN (+0.5%) and WAPCO (+3.8%). Consequently, the YTD return improved to 3.3% while market capitalisation increased ₦259.4bn to settle at ₦21.8tn. Activity level advanced as volume and value traded rose 40.5% and 110.8% to 467.9m units and ₦5.6bn respectively. The most traded stocks by volume were TRANSCORP (45.9m units), MANSARD (34.7m units) and SOVRENINS (26.4m units) while AIRTELAF (₦1.2bn), ZENITH (₦501.0m) and DANGCEM (₦494.6m) topped by value.

Performance across sectors under our coverage was bullish as 4 indicators gained against 2 that lost. The AFR-ICT index led gainers, up 3.9% owing to buying interest in AIRTELAF (+7.6%) and MTNN (+0.5%). Trailing, the Consumer Goods and Insurance indices advanced 0.5% and 0.4% respectively following price appreciation in FLOURMILL (+6.3%), UNILEVER (+2.3%), MANSARD (+2.2%) and PRESTIGE (+8.0%). Similarly, gains in WAPCO (+3.8%) drove the Industrial Goods index 0.3% higher. On the flip side, the Oil  & Gas and Banking indices lost 5.3% and 0.1% respectively due to sell-offs in SEPLAT (-9.3%), OANDO (-1.8%), ZENITH (-0.9%) and STERLNBANK (-2.5%). 

Investor sentiment as measured by market breadth (advance/decline ratio) improved to 1.8x from 0.7x recorded previously as 32 stocks advanced against 18 losers. RTBRISCOE (+10.0%), CHAMPION (+9.8%) and UNIVINSURE (+9.5%) were the top-performing tickers while JOHNHOLT (-10.0%), SEPLAT (-9.3%) and ACADEMY (-9.1%) were the losers. We expect the positive momentum  to continue in subsequent trading sessions.

Market Statistics for Tuesday, 26th January 2021