By theG&BJournal
WED FEB 25 2026-theGBJournal| Nigerian equities retreated by 0.90% on Tuesday, as investors reacted to fresh liquidity tightening by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which moved to mop up excess funds from the financial system.
The pullback snapped recent gains on the Nigerian Exchange, with profit-taking evident across key sectors amid reduced market liquidity.
The benchmark All-Share Index (ASI) declined by 0.90% to close at 194,484.61 points.
Consequently, the year-to-date return moderated to 24.98% from 26.11% recorded in the prior session. Similarly, market capitalisation fell by 0.90% to settle at N124.83 trillion.
The downturn was largely driven by losses in BUAFOODS (-9.99%), MTNN (-2.56%), and STANBIC (-6.90%), which outweighed gains recorded in DANGCEM (+3.70%), ZENITHBANK (+4.55%), and OANDO (+4.75%).
Market activity was mixed, with transaction volume declining slightly by 4.94%, while traded value surged by 92.58%, indicating increased participation in higher-value trades.
JAPAULGOLD (+9.95%) led the volume chart with 105.44 million units exchanged, while ARADEL (+0.01%) topped the value chart with trades worth N14.23 trillion.
Market breadth closed negative at 0.63x, reflecting a predominance of decliners over advancers. JAIZBANK (+10.00%) led the 26 gainers, whereas DAARCOMM (-10.00%) topped the 41 decliners, with the remaining stocks closing flat.
With liquidity constrained, traders trimmed positions, reflecting cautious sentiment amid latest monetary signals from policymakers.
Meanwhile, the naira weakened slightly in the foreign exchange market against the US dollar, underscoring the delicate balance between liquidity management and currency stability.
The official FX rate depreciated by 1.1% to N1,359.00 against US dollar.
The currency also cooled off against the British pounds, amid growing interest in naira-denominated assets and the CBN’s efforts to mop up dollar liquidity in the Nigerian foreign exchange market.
The CBN latest data indicates the Nigerian naira traded at about N1,842/£1 in the official market.
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