The Nigerian Exchange edged higher by 0.12% during Tuesday’s trading session on 27 January 2026, with the All-Share Index (ASI) closing at 165,713.8 points.
Despite the daily gain, market activity remained subdued, as prices continued to consolidate around the 165,000 level while investors await a clearer directional cue.
Trading volume moved lower, falling to 483 million shares from 601 million in the previous session, while market capitalisation stood at N106.08 trillion across 41,499 deals.
By market activity, Access Holdings and GTCO led in trading volume, while GTCO and Aradel recorded the highest value of shares exchanged.
What the data is saying
The All-Share Index inched higher, pushing its year-to-date return to 6.49% from 6.36% the previous day, as price movement remained slow.
On the gainers’ chart, UHOMREIT and SCOA led the pack, each advancing 9.94%, while AUSTINLAZ and Neimeth topped the decliners, falling 9.96% and 9.62% respectively.
Access Holdings dominated trading by volume with 26.4 million shares exchanged, followed closely by GTCO (25.2 million) and NSLTECH (24.6 million).
JapaulGold and Tantalizers completed the top five by volume with trades of 21.4 million and 20.2 million shares.
In terms of value, GTCO led with N2.4 billion worth of transactions, followed by Aradel (N2.1 billion), Seplat (N1.4 billion), Lafarge (N1.26 billion), and Zenith Bank (N1.02 billion).
Top 5 Gainers
- UHOMREIT — up 9.94% to N86.25
- SCOA — up 9.94% to N28.75
- DEAPCAP — up 9.94% to N8.63
- Morison — up 9.92% to N9.09
- RT Briscoe — up 9.89% to N7.22
Top 5 Losers
- Austin Laz — down 9.96% to N4.34
- Neimeth — down 9.62% to N10.80
- Prestige — down 7.37% to N1.76
- Afriprud — down 6.96% to N14.70
- Veritas Kapital — down 6.86% to N1.90
SWOOTs and FUGAZ
Among SWOOTs — stocks valued at over N1 trillion — the session was mildly bullish. International Breweries led the gainers with a 3.57% rise, while Lafarge added 0.64%.
FUGAZ banking stocks, on the other hand, showed mixed outcomes. Access Holdings climbed 2.04% and UBA rose 0.79%, while GTCO ended the session flat.
On the downside, First HoldCo slipped 3.98%, and Zenith Bank edged lower by 0.14%.
What this matters
- The market’s muted movements suggest investors are cautious, awaiting clearer direction from large- and mid-cap counters.
- Mixed performances across sectors indicate that gains and losses are unevenly distributed, reflecting ongoing volatility.
- Despite recent profits in select equities, broader market trends remain constrained, highlighting the potential for short-term retracements.
Market outlook
The Nigerian stock market is currently experiencing muted daily movements, with prices hovering around the 165,500 level.
A decisive bullish or bearish action from large-cap stocks will likely determine the market’s next direction.
However, the market appears overbought and could be vulnerable to short-term retracements.
