The Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) extended its bullish trend on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, as the All-Share Index (ASI) appreciated by 0.5% to close at 144,796.37 points, driven primarily by a strong performance from BUA Cement Plc, among other large-cap stocks.
This upward momentum also boosted the total market capitalisation by ₦459 billion, bringing it to an impressive ₦91.61 trillion. The growth reflects renewed investor confidence and increasing appetite for equities despite economic pressures such as inflation and forex volatility.
BUA Cement, a major player in Nigeria’s construction and industrial sector, was the standout performer of the day. The stock gained ₦6.60 to close at ₦132.10 per share, following strong investor demand and improved sentiment around the company’s latest production expansion and export strategy.
Other notable gainers included:
Enamelware: +₦5.20 to ₦57.30
Neimeth Pharmaceuticals: +₦0.17 to ₦1.92
Cornerstone Insurance: +₦0.17 to ₦1.89
Guinea Insurance: +₦0.07 to ₦0.78
These gains reflect broad-based optimism across several sectors, particularly insurance, manufacturing, and industrial goods.
Losers and Market Laggards
Despite the overall positive sentiment, some stocks closed in the red.
LivingTrust Mortgage Bank declined by ₦0.20 to close at ₦2.15
UPDC REIT: -₦0.35 to ₦3.15
Academy Press: -₦0.23 to ₦2.10
John Holt: -₦0.35 to ₦3.31
Tantalizers Plc: -₦0.05 to ₦0.51
The trading session saw a robust increase in market activity. A total of 1.03 billion shares valued at ₦22.8 billion were exchanged in 13,625 deals, representing a 27% jump in volume and a 17% rise in turnover compared to the previous day.
Top traded stocks by volume:
AIICO Insurance: 97.1 million shares
GTCO: 76.2 million shares
Japaul Gold: 66.7 million shares
Veritas Kapital: 53.4 million shares
UBA: 45.7 million shares
Top traded stocks by value:
GTCO: ₦3.8 billion
BUA Cement: ₦2.7 billion
UBA: ₦1.2 billion
The NGX Insurance Index posted the most significant gain, rising by 7.53%, supported by bullish activity in stocks like AIICO and Cornerstone. The Industrial Goods Index, buoyed by BUA Cement, also saw a 3.35% increase.
However, the NGX Pension Index dipped slightly by 0.24%, despite maintaining a solid year-to-date return of 53.34%—one of the strongest among emerging markets in 2025.
Market analysts attribute the ongoing rally to a combination of strong corporate earnings, policy clarity from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and renewed foreign interest following recent reforms in the foreign exchange market.
Speaking on the market dynamics, financial analyst Tolu Akinlade said:
“The Nigerian equities market is showing resilience. Institutional investors are clearly repositioning ahead of Q3 results, while the performance of key sectors like insurance and industrial goods is signaling a healthy rotation.”
He added that BUA Cement’s upward movement reflects broader confidence in Nigeria’s real sector, especially in companies investing in expansion and exports.