Nigerian All-Share Index Reclaims 150,000 Mark As NESTLE, GUINNESS Soar

Nigerian All-Share Index Reclaims 150,000 Mark as NESTLE, GUINNESS Soar

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3 minutes ago

By samony

The Nigerian All-Share Index (ASI) surged past the critical 150,000-point threshold on December 18, 2025, closing the trading session at 150,363.0. This significant advance, driven notably by gains in major equities like NESTLE and GUINNESS, marked a 0.35% increase from its previous close. The market’s upward trajectory continued, signaling robust investor confidence despite varied participation levels.

The benchmark index’s climb added 520.2 points, solidifying its positive momentum and pushing its year-to-date performance to an impressive 46.09%. This milestone reflects a sustained bullish sentiment in the Nigerian capital market throughout 2025. However, the positive index movement occurred amidst a notable decline in overall market activity.

Leading the day’s impressive rally, consumer goods giant NESTLE recorded a substantial 10% increase in its share price, closing at N1,958.00. Brewer GUINNESS Nigeria followed closely, registering a 9.98% gain to reach N289.70. Other significant gainers included ALEX, DAARCOMM, and MECURE, which also experienced strong upward movements.

Conversely, some prominent stocks faced headwinds during the trading session. STANBIC IBTC Holdings led the decliners, shedding 10% of its value, while insurance firm LASACO saw its shares fall by 9.33%. AFRIPRUD, AUSTINLAZ, and STERLINGNG also featured on the losers’ chart, experiencing notable price corrections.

Despite the index’s ascent, market participation significantly weakened, with total trading volume plummeting to 839 million shares. This represented a sharp decrease from the 5.9 billion shares traded in the preceding session, indicating a more cautious approach from investors. Nevertheless, total equity capitalization stood firm at N95.8 trillion, recorded across 23,211 deals.

In terms of trading activity by volume, financial services conglomerate FIRSTHOLDCO dominated the session, accounting for a staggering 385.6 million shares. FCMB Group also demonstrated strong activity with 76 million shares traded, followed by LASACO, ACCESSCORP, and CHAMS, completing the top five most traded stocks.

When assessed by trading value, FIRSTHOLDCO again led the market, generating N15.5 billion in transactions, underscoring its significant market presence. Energy firm GEREGU followed with N6.2 billion in trades, while ARADEL, GTCO, and FCMB also registered substantial trading values, reflecting concentrated investor interest in these key sectors.

Performance among the highly capitalised stocks (SWOOTs) showed mixed results. STANBIC IBTC Holdings experienced a 9.33% decline, and ARADEL saw a marginal 0.01% dip. Within the FUGAZ banking group, FIRSTHOLDCO climbed 7.7%, UBA advanced 4.52%, and ACCESSCORP added 0.72%, while GTCO slipped 0.34%. ZENITHBANK, however, closed the session unchanged.

The market outlook suggests a potential for reinforced bullish sentiment, with analysts anticipating that the All-Share Index could target the 155,000-point level. Sustained positive momentum, particularly if accompanied by improved investor participation, is expected to drive further gains in the coming sessions, building on the strong year-to-date performance.