Bulls continued dominance Thursday on the Nigerian Exchange as demand for low, mid and high cap stocks persisted, with the market making new all-time high on a daily basis, thus reflecting investor confidence and continued flow of funds into the equity space.
The composite NGX All-Share index broke out the 121989.67 points level, rising to 124448.80 points on a high traded volume and expanded positive market internals and buying sentiment.
Market capitalisation of listed equities increased by N1.756 trillion or 2.28 per cent to N78.726 trillion from N76.970 trillion reported the previous day.
Also, the numbers of companies whose share prices increased, just as sectorial indexes breaking out new highs, all of which impacted on the market positively.
The market sentiment remained positive as reflected by a strong market breath, 70 stocks recorded gains against 10 decliners.
As a result year to date return surged to 20.91 per cent .
An analysis of the investment showed that
HMCall, UPDC and FTNCocoa recorded 10 per cent each to close at N N4.73 , N4.62 and N6.82 per unit respectively. Caverton Business Solutions and United Bank for Africa also gained 10 per cent each to close respectively at N8.82 and N39.60 per unit.
On the contrary, Neimeth international Pharmaceutical topped losers chart, dropping by 9.91 per cent to close at N9.00 per unit, Legend Internet trailed with a loss of 9.88 per cent to close at N7.21 per unit, IMG dipped by 7.38 per cent to close at N34.00, Cadbury Nigeria Plc fell by 6.22 per cent to close at N55.00 while Livestock Feeds declined by 5.67 per cent to close at N9.15 per share.
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Mutual Fund industry doubles assets to N5.94trn in 1H 2025
By Amaka Ifeakandu, Lagos
Nigeria’s mutual fund industry recorded a remarkable growth in the first half of 2025, with total assets under management (AUM) surging to N5.94 trillion.
This represents a surge of 104.7 per cent from N2.9 trillion in the same period of 2024.
The industry’s growth is underpinned by rising retail and institutional investor participation, heightened appetite for high-yield fixed-income and equity products, and sustained momentum in money market instruments, all within the context of Nigeria’s elevated interest rate environment.
Available data showed that
the AUM expansion was led by money market funds , which accounted for approximately N2.99 trillion, more than 50 per cent of total industry assets.
These funds remained the preferred choice for investors prioritising liquidity, capital preservation, and attractive short-term returns, especially as annualised yields hovered between 19 per cent and 22 per cent.
Fixed-income funds followed with N1.94 trillion, reflecting strong investor preference for stable and predictable income, particularly from government securities and investment-grade corporate bonds.
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) also recorded increased investor interest, managing N356 billion in assets, as investors sought inflation-hedging and asset-backed diversification opportunities.
Equity funds outperformed expectations during the review period, buoyed by the NGX All-Share Index’s bullish trajectory and renewed capital market confidence.
Top-performing equity funds included:
Guaranty Trust Equity Income Fund with gain of 43.01 per cent year to date (YTD), followed by Paramount Equity Fund with 31.84 per cent ytd, Halo Equity Fund: gained 29.63 per cent Ytd, Afrinvest and Anchoria Equity Funds recorded 22.59 per cent year to date.
Balanced funds, which combine equity exposure with fixed-income instruments, also posted strong returns, offering an attractive option for investors with moderate risk appetites.