The Nigerian stock market closed sharply lower on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, as the All-Share Index (ASI) fell by 1.46% to 142,613.47 from the previous day’s 144,722.50.
This decline translated into a loss of 2,109 points, erasing N1.33 trillion in market value and pushing the year-to-date gain down to 38.56%.
Sectoral Weakness Deepens Losses
The bearish trend was fueled by sharp sell-offs in heavyweight stocks, particularly Dangote Cement, which plunged 9.88% to N520.00.
Sector indices reflected the broader weakness, with Industrial Goods (-4.37%), Insurance (-3.86%), Banking (-2.06%), and Oil & Gas (-0.68%) all closing in the red, while Consumer Goods (+0.57%) was the lone gainer, supported by International Breweries’ 6.95% rally.
Market Activity and Trading Volume
Trading volume moderated slightly, slipping to 1.02 billion shares from 1.05 billion previously, with Universal Insurance leading at 130.2 million shares.
AIICO Insurance followed closely with 100.1 million shares, while MBENEFIT, Prestige, and Regalins completed the top five most active counters.
Value Leaders and SWOOTs Performance
On the value front, Nigerian Breweries topped with N2.1 billion in transactions, ahead of Dangote Cement’s N1.3 billion and Access Holdings’ N1.04 billion.
Among the Stocks Worth Over One Trillion (SWOOTs), International Breweries gained 6.95%, Fidelity Bank rose 0.97%, while Dangote Cement shed nearly 10%, and Nigerian Breweries slipped 2.10%.
Gainers and Losers
ENAMELWARE led the gainers’ chart with a 9.95% surge to N35.90, followed by DAAR Communications (+9.82%), DEAPCAP (+9.60%), Academy Press (+8.43%), and International Breweries (+6.95%).
On the downside, Royal Exchange plunged 10%, trailed by Dangote Cement (-9.88%), RT Briscoe (-9.87%), Jaiz Bank (-9.81%), and Lasaco (-9.77%).
