The Nigerian stock market continued its upward trend, gaining N833 billion on Thursday.

Market capitalisation rose by N833 billion, or 1.02 per cent, to close at N82.417 trillion, compared to N81.584 trillion recorded on Wednesday.

Similarly, the All-Share Index (ASI) climbed by 1,316.79 points or 1.02 per cent to reach 130,283.87 compared to 128,967.08 recorded earlier.

The positive trend was driven by strong buying interest in medium- and large-capitalised stocks, such as BUA Cement, Dangote Cement, First Bank Holding Company, CHAMS, and 26 others.

However, the market breadth closed negative with 47 losers and 30 gainers.

FG192038S2 led the losers’ chart, declining by 17 per cent, ending the session at N83.00, while Haldane McCall fell by 10 per cent, closing at N4.68 per share.

Mecure dropped by 10 per cent, settling at N11.70, and Berger Paints also shed by 10 per cent, finishing at N33.75 per share.

Similarly, John Holt decreased by 10 per cent, closing at N9.00 per share.

On the gainers’ chart, BUA Cement soared by 10 per cent, finishing at N112.20, while Dangote Cement increased by 9.99 per cent, closing at N473.30 per share.

CHAMS rose by 9.96 per cent, ending the session at N3.09, and First Bank Holding Company gained by 9.94 per cent, finishing at N35.40 per share.

Also, ABC Transport climbed by 9.85 per cent, closing at N5.69 per share.

A total of 1.19 billion shares worth N42.76 billion were exchanged across 37,418 transactions.

This is in contrast with 11.67 billion shares worth N363.4 billion traded across N36,635 transactions earlier on Wednesday.

Transactions in the shares of Access Corporation led the activity chart with 168.099 million shares worth N4.62 billion.

First Bank Holding Company followed with 86.42 million shares valued at N3.04 billion, while Zenith Bank transacted 83.36 million shares worth N6.29 billion.

Nigerian Breweries traded 68.57 million shares valued at N5.08 billion, and AIICO Insurance sold 65.25 million shares worth N139.27 million.

(NAN)