Bearish sentiment dominated buying and selling on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) on Thursday, October 22, 2026, as fairness market capitalisation dropped by N103.60 billion in a single session.
The fairness market capitalisation closed decrease at N159.048 trillion, falling from N159.152 trillion recorded on Wednesday, October 21.
The benchmark NGX All-Share Index (ASI) slid by 159.55 factors (or 0.065%) to finish at 244,956.94 factors, marking its lowest stage of the week.
This single-day loss extends a broader weekly slide from Friday, October 16, when market capitalisation stood at N160.725 trillion and the ASI touched a week-high of 247,539.73 factors.
In phrases of complete market liquidity, traders traded 360,706,232 equities shares throughout 31,355 offers through the session.
Market abstract
- All-Share Index (ASI): 244,956.94 factors, down 0.065% from 245,116.49 factors
- Market cap: N159.048 trillion, down 0.065% from N159.152 trillion
- Market worth misplaced: N103.60 billion
- Trading quantity: 360.71 million shares, up 1.89% from 354.03 million shares
- Total offers: 31,355 offers, down 3.56% from 32,514 offers
Top 5 gainers
- AVA Capital Plc (AVACAP): Up 9.85% to N7.25 from N6.60
- PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc: Up 8.58% to N68.95 from N63.50
- Tantalizers Plc: Up 5.85% to N3.98 from N3.76
- International Energy Insurance Plc: Up 5.42% to N2.14 from N2.03
- VFD Group Plc: Up 3.59% to N13.00 from N12.55
Top 5 losers
- Thomas Wyatt Nigeria Plc: Down 10.00% to N2.52 from N2.80
- Austin Laz & Company Plc: Down 8.81% to N2.90 from N3.18
- Secure Electronic Technology Plc: Down 6.85% to N0.68 from N0.73
- UPDC Plc: Down 6.49% to N3.60 from N3.85
- Cornerstone Insurance Plc: Down 6.12% to N4.60 from N4.90
Driving the numbers
Index-level declines had been led by the NGX Banking Index (falling from 2,456.31 to 2,452.40), the NGX Insurance Index (1,053.31 to 1,047.65), the NGX Consumer Goods Index (4,024.83 to 4,012.84), the NGX Oil/Gas Index (6,197.74 to 6,191.20), and the NGX Main-Board Index (10,769.39 to 10,752.60).
At the person inventory stage, the downturn was pushed by unfavourable market breadth, as 22 declining equities outweighed 16 gainers.
Significant downward pressure originated from main monetary companies companies, together with worth drops in Zenith Bank Plc (-0.41%), Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (-0.33%), United Bank for Africa Plc (-0.24%), Wema Bank Plc (-3.33%), and change operator Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (-4.69%).
These losses had been compounded by pullbacks in power benchmark Oando Plc (-4.17%) and actual property developer UPDC Plc (-6.49%).
Although choose stocks such as AVA Capital Plc (+9.85%) and PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc (+8.58%) superior, the collective sell-offs throughout fairness boards drove general buying and selling exercise to 360,706,232 shares throughout 31,355 offers, whereas listed debt securities recorded no worth motion.
Sectoral efficiency
Sector efficiency throughout the Nigerian Exchange on October 22, 2026, was predominantly unfavourable, reflecting widespread pullbacks throughout main trade benchmarks.
The NGX Banking Index slipped from 2,456.31 factors on Wednesday to 2,452.40 factors, pushed by gentle declines in key monetary heavyweights, together with Zenith Bank Plc (-0.41%), Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (-0.33%), United Bank for Africa Plc (-0.24%), and Wema Bank Plc (-3.33%).
- The NGX Insurance Index retreated from 1,053.31 factors to 1,047.65 factors, underneath pressure from notable losses in Cornerstone Insurance Plc (-6.12%) and Veritas Kapital Assurance Plc (-5.26%).
- Meanwhile, the NGX Consumer Goods Index dropped from 4,024.83 factors to 4,012.84 factors, weighed down by sell-offs in International Breweries Plc (-4.74%) and Champion Breweries Plc (-2.00%), which offset a powerful acquire in PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc (+8.58%).
- Additionally, the NGX Oil/Gas Index eased from 6,197.74 factors to 6,191.20 factors as Oando Plc dropped 4.17%, contributing to a broader decline within the NGX Main-Board Index to 10,752.60 factors from 10,769.39 factors.
- In distinction to the prevailing weak spot, choose sectoral and board benchmarks managed to shut in constructive territory.
- The NGX Premium Index rose to 30,351.38 factors from 30,330.55 factors, aided by modest upticks in Access Holdings Plc (+2.49%) and Dangote Cement Plc (+0.20%).
Industrial and progress segments additionally confirmed resilience, as the NGX Industrial Index edged up to 10,269.22 factors from 10,258.94 factors, and the NGX Growth Index climbed to 26,839.75 factors from 26,724.27 factors, supported by gainers such as The Initiates Plc (+2.92%).
Across non-equity devices, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) posted combined outcomes with prime beneficial properties recorded by Vetiva Industrial ETF (+4.81%) and Vetiva Banking ETF (+3.69%), whereas fixed-income exercise remained stagnant with the NGX Sovereign Bond Index holding flat at 661.50 factors amid zero worth motion throughout debt securities.
