Nestlé led the charge as the Nigerian stock market paused on January 15, 2026, ending a nine-day winning streak.
Nestlé Leads The Gains
Investors cheered gains in select stocks; however, the All-Share Index (ASI) fell by 714.7 points to 166,057.3, signalling a temporary pause in bullish momentum.
Trading Activity Surges
Meanwhile, trading remained robust despite the dip, as investors exchanged 1.03 billion shares, up from 761.9 million the previous session.
Consequently, market capitalisation dropped to ₦106.3 trillion across 51,227 deals from ₦106.7 trillion, highlighting that investors actively took profits from major counters.
The ASI’s 0.43% decline brought the year-to-date performance to 6.71%, reflecting cautious sentiment.
Nestlé and NCR (Nigeria) drove the top gains, rising 10% and 9.97% respectively, while McNichols and Caverton suffered losses of 9.99% and 9.47%.
Volume activity favoured Sovereign Trust Insurance, which traded 245.1 million shares, followed by Access Holdings, Zenith Bank, Jaiz Bank, and Lasaco.
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In terms of transaction value, Zenith Bank led with ₦5 billion, followed by Geregu (₦4.1 billion), Nestlé (₦2.3 billion), GTCO (₦2 billion), and Access Holdings (₦1.8 billion).
Market Rotation And Opportunities
Among large-cap SWOOTs, Aradel fell 5.11%, Nigerian Breweries lost 2.33%, and International Breweries dipped 0.67%.
Similarly, FUGAZ banking stocks posted mixed results: UBA, GTCO, and Access Holdings recorded minor losses, whereas Zenith Bank remained flat and First Holdco gained 4%, showing pockets of investor confidence.
Overall, the session reflected market rotation, as traders balanced profit-taking with selective gains.
The ASI stayed just above 166,000, suggesting a potential short-term pullback and creating buying opportunities for patient investors.
