Profit-taking wipes N137bn off Nigerian stock market as fixed-income shift hits equities

Profit-taking and a move toward fixed-income assets pushed the Nigerian stock market lower on Monday, August 24, ahead of the public holiday. The All-Share Index fell 265.99 points to close at 239,085.17, down from 239,351.16 at the end of Friday's session.

Total capitalisation dropped to N154.397 trillion from N154.534 trillion, erasing N137 billion in a single day. Selling pressure spread across most major sectors of the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited.

Banking and insurance lead the decline

The banking index recorded the steepest drop, falling 0.63%. The insurance index followed with a 0.53% loss, while the consumer goods index edged down 0.01%. The industrial goods and energy indices closed flat.

International Energy Insurance suffered the heaviest single-stock loss, tumbling 9.82% to N3.49. Neimeth dropped 9.38% to N7.25. Fidelity Bank shed 6.00% to N18.80, Guinea Insurance fell 5.19% to N0.73, and NPF Microfinance Bank lost 4.82% to close at N3.95.

Some stocks gained. Red Star Express was the top performer, climbing 9.86% to N16.15. University Press advanced 9.38% to N5.25, UPDC added 5.97% to N3.55, Haldane McCall rose 3.90% to N4.00, and Sunu Assurances gained 3.33% to N3.10.

Trading volume surges but value drops

Investors traded 668.7 million shares worth N23.8 billion across 45,894 deals on Monday. That compares with 416.7 million shares valued at N35.6 billion in 36,324 deals on Friday. Trading volume rose by 60.48% and deal count grew by 26.35%, but the total value of transactions fell by 33.15%, indicating heavier activity in lower-priced stocks.

Fortis Global Insurance led by volume, with 206.7 million units changing hands for N415.7 million. UBA followed with 89.6 million units worth N4.0 billion, while First Holdco exchanged 61.7 million units valued at N7.9 million. Access Holdings transacted 33.9 million units for N925.4 million, and Sterling Holdings moved 26.9 million units valued at N204.2 million.

Otedola raises stake in First Holdco

Separately, Femi Otedola, Chairman of First HoldCo Plc, has deepened his hold over the banking stock after buying an additional 680.8 million shares through a private placement. That pushed his ownership to 20.42% and lifted the market value of his stake to roughly N1.05 trillion.

The acquisition was completed at N44 per share, a price below the company's July 18 closing figure of N61, according to market sources. Total spending on the new shares came to about N30 billion, with Otedola and one other institutional investor together taking up approximately 90% of the N45 billion placement.

The shift toward fixed-income assets is likely to keep weighing on equities in the near term, as investors continue to chase safer returns outside the stock market.