…NGX adds N328 billion as investors return to heavyweight stocks; naira strengthens against major currencies following CBN’s recent dollar interventions.
FRI NOV 13 2026-theGBJournal| Nigerian equities rebounded on Thursday, recovering part of the losses recorded over the previous two sessions, as renewed buying in Seplat Energy, First HoldCo, Stanbic IBTC and Fidson Healthcare lifted the benchmark index.
The All-Share Index advanced 0.20%, or 505.56 points, to close at 252,366.80, while market capitalisation increased by N328.26 billion to N163.86 trillion.
The recovery pushed the market’s year-to-date return to 62.2%, although its month-to-date performance remained negative at 0.8%.
Seplat gained 3.12%, Stanbic IBTC rose 2.55%, First HoldCo advanced 2.09%, while Fidson Healthcare surged 9.94%, providing much of the support for the market.
Fidson and SUNU Assurances, which also gained 9.92%, led the day’s advancers. International Breweries and Tantalizers were among the biggest losers, declining 7.18% and 6.67%, respectively.
Market breadth remained positive, with 26 stocks advancing against 20 decliners, indicating that buying interest extended beyond a handful of large-cap counters.
Sector performance was mixed. The oil and gas index led the advance, rising 1.90%, followed by insurance, up 0.66%, and banking, which gained 0.49%. Consumer goods stocks declined 0.65%, while industrial goods closed flat.
Trading activity increased sharply, with 2.91 billion shares valued at N78.66 billion changing hands in 28,318 transactions.
Volume surged 596.7% from 418.35 million shares in the preceding session, while transaction value rose 244.6% from N22.83 billion. Livestock Feeds dominated trading by volume, accounting for 2.20 billion units, while First HoldCo led by value with N32.40 billion.
NAIRA STRENGTHENS AGAINST POUND, EURO
In the foreign-exchange market, the naira recorded gains against major international currencies, with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) reference rates showing improved performance against dollar, sterling and the euro.
The CBN’s central exchange rate for the British pound declined to N1,797.24 on Thursday from N1,807.69 on Wednesday, representing a N10.45 appreciation in the naira, or approximately 0.58%.
Against the euro, the naira strengthened to N1,502.58 from N1,511.14, gaining N8.56, equivalent to 0.57%.
The movements come after the CBN reportedly sold $50 million to the foreign-exchange market during the week ended November 6, as part of efforts to improve dollar liquidity and support the local currency.
The intervention followed a larger $950 million injection into the market in the preceding week.
However, the interventions have yet to translate into a sustained improvement in overall foreign-exchange market activity.
Dollar turnover fell 51.29% to $1.81 billion in the week ended November 6, from $3.71 billion in the preceding week.
The naira had also weakened marginally against the dollar during the first week of November, closing at N1,349 per dollar despite the reported $50 million intervention.
The latest appreciation against sterling and the euro, alongside the firmer dollar-market quotation of N1,355.80, points to some improvement in exchange-rate conditions, although sustained stability will depend on the consistency of foreign-currency supply and market liquidity.
NASD MARKET ALSO ADVANCES
Elsewhere, the NASD over-the-counter market closed higher, with its securities index gaining 0.49% to 4,363.07 points.
Market capitalisation rose 0.50% to N2.62 trillion, lifting the year-to-date return to 23.12% from 22.52%.
Trading activity was mixed. Volume declined 4.55% to 14.40 million units, while transaction value increased 18.69% to N73.92 million. The number of deals also advanced 11.63% to 48.
SDMRSPLC led the four advancing stocks with a 10% gain, while SDLFSPLC topped the five decliners, shedding 8.33%.
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