The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) opened the new week on a positive note, recovering from last week’s losses with a strong rebound on Monday. The market capitalisation rose by ₦539.98 billion to close at ₦69.3 trillion, up from ₦68.8 trillion on Friday, signalling renewed investor confidence.

The benchmark All-Share Index (ASI) climbed by 924.38 points, or 0.85%, to settle at 109,953.00, compared to 109,028.62 at the close of the previous trading session.

Monday’s rally was driven by gains in large and mid-cap stocks. Aradel Holdings Plc led the gainers, rising 9.98% to close at ₦505.90 per share. University Press Plc followed with a 9.86% gain to ₦4.79, while Associated Bus Company Plc and Linkage Assurance Plc added 8.43% and 8.16%, respectively, closing at ₦2.70 and ₦1.59 per share.

On the downside, Tripple Gee & Company Plc topped the losers’ chart with a 10% drop to ₦2.07. MRS Oil Nigeria Plc fell by 9.97% to ₦141.80, Chellarams Plc declined 9.96% to ₦10.58, and Union Homes REIT shed 9.95% to close at ₦45.70.

Trading activity saw 414.51 million shares exchanged across 19,775 deals, with a total market value of ₦11.09 billion. Compared to the previous session on Friday, May 23, volume fell by 35%, turnover dropped by 39%, but the number of deals rose by 24%, indicating increased investor participation despite lower volume and value.

Fidelity Bank Plc was the most traded stock by volume, recording 46.8 million shares. It was followed by Custodian & Allied Plc with 37.2 million shares, Access Holdings Plc with 35.9 million, and Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc with 24.9 million shares.

Sectoral performance was largely positive. The NGX Oil & Gas Index led with a 3.02% gain, followed by the Consumer Goods Index at 2.2%, the Main Board Index at 1.12%, and the Top 30 Index at 0.65%. The Premium Board Index and the Pension Index also advanced by 0.33% and 0.29%, respectively.

So far in 2025, the All-Share Index has returned 6.83%, reflecting cautious optimism among investors navigating macroeconomic challenges, including interest rate fluctuations and currency volatility.