Trading activities on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) began the week on a mixed but largely upbeat note, as investors exchanged over half a billion shares in the first weekday session.
At the close of trading on Monday, a total of 550,838,343 shares were traded across 30,065 deals, with a combined market value of ₦13.83 billion.
Compared with the previous trading session on Friday, December 5, market volume jumped by 52 per cent, while the number of deals increased sharply by 43 per cent. However, total turnover declined by 7 per cent, indicating that lower-priced stocks dominated the day’s activity.
Despite the mixed performance in liquidity, the overall market capitalisation remained resilient at ₦94 trillion, reflecting sustained investor confidence in selected equities.
Morison Industries emerged as one of the standout performers, closing at ₦3.89 per share, up 9.9 per cent from its previous price of ₦3.54. Although the stock has declined slightly by 2.99 per cent year-to-date from its opening price of ₦4.01, recent momentum has been positive. Morison has gained 21 per cent since November 10, ranking among the best recent performers on the NGX.
NPF Microfinance Bank also posted a strong rally, rising by 9.9 per cent to close at ₦3.01 from ₦2.74. The stock has delivered an impressive 76 per cent year-to-date gain, having started the year at ₦1.71. Over the past four weeks alone, it has added 11 per cent, further strengthening its positive outlook.
Similarly, Sovereign Trust Insurance advanced by 9.3 per cent to settle at ₦3.17, up from ₦2.90. The insurer remains one of the market’s top long-term gainers, having surged by 183 per cent year-to-date from its opening price of ₦1.12. The stock has also maintained a steady 11 per cent gain over the past month.
On the downside, Daar Communications closed lower at ₦0.91, shedding 7.1 per cent from its previous close of ₦0.98. Despite the daily loss, the stock remains up 44.4 per cent year-to-date, reflecting a generally strong performance since the beginning of the year.
Livestock Feeds also depreciated, falling by 6.3 per cent to close at ₦6.00, down from ₦6.40. Although the stock is still up 45.6 per cent year-to-date, recent performance has been weak, with a 19 per cent decline recorded over the past four weeks—raising caution among short-term traders.
Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) rounded off the day’s major decliners, dropping by 6.1 per cent to close at ₦100.00 from ₦106.50. Despite the pullback, NAHCO remains one of the strongest performers in 2025, having gained 117 per cent year-to-date from its opening price of ₦46.05. The stock is still up 5 per cent over the last four weeks, suggesting that the recent dip may be a temporary correction.
Analysts note that Monday’s session reflects a market still searching for a clear direction, with strong participation in volume but modest value flow. The sharp rise in deals indicates renewed trading interest, particularly in low- and mid-cap stocks, while the slight dip in turnover points to selective positioning by institutional investors.
With market capitalisation holding firm at ₦94 trillion, investors are expected to remain cautiously optimistic in the near term, watching for fresh corporate disclosures, earnings updates, and broader economic signals to guide portfolio rebalancing in the days ahead.
