NGX Market Wrap 23 April 2026 | Plus234Feed
The Nigerian Exchange closed at 222,837.68 points on Thursday, buoyed by strong gains in consumer staples and select industrial stocks. Market activity remained robust, with ₦38.1 billion in turnover across 667.9 million shares, though breadth favoured gainers over losers.
Consumer and industrial stocks dominated trading on the NGX on Thursday, with the ASI finishing at 222,837.68 points as investors rotated into defensive and growth-oriented equities. The session was anchored by exceptional performances in the consumer goods and transportation sectors, signalling renewed appetite for sectors tied to domestic economic activity.
UNILEVER led the charge with a commanding 10.00% rally, climbing ₦11.00 to ₦121.00, while peer UACN matched the pace with an identical 10.00% jump of ₦12.10 to ₦133.10. These dual rallies suggest institutional interest in defensive consumer plays, a typical flight-to-quality signal during uncertain market conditions. DANGSUGAR followed with a 9.78% surge, gaining ₦6.55 to ₦73.50, bolstering the consumer narrative.
Transportation and logistics also participated, with TRANSEXPR advancing 9.97% by ₦0.79 to ₦8.71. Smaller-cap movers like TANTALIZER (+9.80%) provided evidence of broadening participation beyond blue-chips.
However, losses emerged in financial and emerging growth stocks: MCNICHOLS, MULTIVERSE, and WAPIC each declined sharply, losing between 9.26% and 9.93%. LOTUSHAL15 fell 8.33% (₦14.99) to ₦165.00, indicating selective profit-taking in speculative positions.
Market depth remained healthy, with the top five most-traded stocks—ACCESSCORP, UBA, ZENITHBANK, FIDELITYBK, and GTCO—commanding 667.9 million shares in aggregate activity across 53,062 deals. Market capitalisation stood at ₦143.5 trillion.
Watch for sector rotation patterns in Friday's session, particularly whether defensive stocks sustain momentum or profit-taking accelerates.
