The Nigerian equities market ended the week on a downbeat note, with the All-Share Index sliding 2.24% to 143,722.62 points, while market capitalization dipped from ₦93.5 trillion to ₦91.4 trillion. Only 20 stocks recorded gains, against 60 decliners, underscoring a broadly bearish sentiment.

Market activity also cooled, as trading volume dropped to 2.6 billion shares worth ₦106.2 billion, significantly lower than the previous week’s 7.3 billion shares valued at ₦156.4 billion.

Top Performer

NCR Nigeria Plc emerged as the standout stock, surging 60.55% to close at ₦41.10, making it the week’s strongest gainer.

Worst Performer

International Energy Insurance Plc led the laggards, shedding 22.06% to finish at ₦2.12.

Sector Snapshot

The downturn was driven largely by weakness in key segments, with the Insurance Index falling 7.05%, and Industrial Goods sliding 4.50%, weighed down in part by a sharp decline in Dangote Cement.

Broader Outlook

The market pullback came despite improving macroeconomic sentiment, following S&P Global Ratings’ revision of Nigeria’s outlook to “positive.”

Overall: The week closed firmly in negative territory, but NCR Nigeria Plc provided a rare bright spot in an otherwise subdued market. Visit www.jocomms.com for more news.