The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) closed lower on Wednesday, August 14, 2025, marking its second consecutive decline in August, as bearish sentiment dragged the All-Share Index (ASI) down by 0.13 per cent.
At the close of trading, the ASI fell by 191.11 points to settle at 145,864.78, while the market capitalisation dropped by ₦121 billion, closing at ₦92.3 trillion. The drop was largely attributed to profit-taking in high-cap stocks and a mixed performance across key sectors.
The day’s trading saw investors exchange 1.34 billion shares, valued at ₦20.18 billion, across 30,737 deals.
Volume rose by 5% compared to the previous day’s session.
Turnover dropped by 17%, suggesting more trades in low-priced equities.
Number of deals declined slightly by 1%, reflecting a cautious trading mood.
A total of 128 equities were traded, with 53 gainers and 21 losers, indicating a broadly positive market breadth despite the overall index decline.
Top Gainers
The session’s biggest winners were small-to-mid cap stocks, many hitting their daily price limits:
Caverton Offshore Support Group Plc – +10% to ₦7.92
Learn Africa Plc – +10% to ₦7.70
FTN Cocoa Processors Plc – +10% to ₦6.93
Tripple Gee and Company Plc – +10% to ₦5.17
RT Briscoe Plc – +10% to ₦3.74
Prestige Assurance Plc – +10% to ₦2.42
The gains were largely driven by renewed investor interest in penny stocks and insurance counters.
Top Losers
On the flip side, some high-cap and mid-tier stocks faced sell pressure:
Thomas Wyatt Nigeria Plc – -10% to ₦3.42
UACN Property Development Company Plc – -7.94% to ₦8.00
Legend Internet Technologies Plc – -6.35% to ₦5.60
Berger Paints Nigeria Plc – -6.16% to ₦32.00
Champion Breweries Plc – -5.75% to ₦16.38
Nigerian Breweries Plc – -3.90% to ₦71.50
Breweries and property-related equities were particularly hit, following weak Q2 earnings reports.
Most Active Stocks
By volume:
Universal Insurance Plc – 193.43 million shares
Japaul Gold and Ventures Plc – 123.16 million shares
Veritas Kapital Assurance Plc – 93.22 million shares
Access Holdings Plc – 84.99 million shares
Sterling Financial Holdings Plc – 68.20 million shares
By value:
Access Holdings Plc – ₦2.35 billion
Zenith Bank Plc – ₦1.86 billion
Aradel Holdings Plc – ₦1.65 billion
GTCO Plc – ₦1.10 billion
UBA Plc – ₦1.08 billion
Sector indices closed mixed:
Insurance Index – +7.94%, outperforming all sectors due to strong gains in low-priced insurance stocks.
Oil and Gas Index – +0.12%, supported by slight upticks in mid-tier energy firms.
Top 30 Index – -0.33%
Industrial Index – -0.33%
Main Board Index – -0.01%
Premium Index – -0.37%
The positive performance of insurance stocks partially cushioned the overall market decline.
Analysts suggest that the current market weakness is likely driven by portfolio rebalancing ahead of mid-August earnings releases. Additionally, global market sentiment remains fragile due to fluctuating crude oil prices and expectations of tighter monetary policy from central banks.
While the insurance sector is benefiting from renewed investor interest, banking and industrial goods stocks could see increased volatility in the coming sessions as traders digest corporate earnings and dividend announcements.
Market watchers advise caution in the short term, recommending a focus on fundamentally strong stocks with consistent dividend history. The NGX is expected to remain range-bound in the near term, but bargain-hunting could create selective buying opportunities for long-term investors.
