The insurance sector of the Nigerian Exchange Ltd. (NGX) witnessed active trading last week, with investors transacting 481.1 million shares valued at N1.41 billion across 10,655 deals.
The turnover, however, reflected a slowdown compared to the preceding week when 523.5 million shares worth N1.45 billion were traded in 12,666 transactions. The data, released by the NGX, showed week-on-week declines of 2.5 per cent in value, 8.8 per cent in volume, and 18.9 per cent in the number of deals.
Market watchers attributed the pullback to profit-taking and cautious positioning by investors as they weighed recent earnings releases against broader market sentiments.
Despite the dip, activity was spread across 16 insurance counters, with a few players emerging as market leaders. Regency Alliance Insurance topped the chart, accounting for 102.6 million shares worth N176.9 million in 1,619 deals.
Lasaco Assurance followed, recording 55.9 million shares valued at N168.1 million in 584 transactions, while AIICO Insurance exchanged 36.8 million shares worth N149.5 million across 2,052 deals.
Other top movers included Veritas Kapital Assurance, which traded 62.04 million shares worth N135.4 million, and Sovereign Trust Insurance, with 41.2 million shares valued at N123.5 million.
Nem Insurance posted one of the strongest values, exchanging 3.9 million shares worth N111.3 million, while Consolidated Hallmark Holdings recorded 24.8 million shares worth N105.2 million.
Rounding off the week, Cornerstone Insurance (15.4 million shares, N102.6 million), Mutual Benefits Assurance (22.6 million shares, N89.4 million), and Universal Insurance (54.7 million shares, N66.4 million) also featured prominently in the sector’s activity chart.
Smaller volumes were recorded by AXA Mansard Insurance (three million shares worth N47.7 million), Linkage Assurance (19.6 million shares worth N41.9 million), Wapic Insurance (8.5 million shares worth N28.7 million), Prestige Assurance (15.5 million shares worth N28.2 million), Sunu Assurances (4.98 million shares worth N27.3 million), and Guinea Insurance (9.35 million shares worth N15.01 million).
Analysts say the trend underscores sustained investor interest in insurance equities despite broader market volatility, noting that steady earnings growth and recapitalisation moves by some players could continue to drive liquidity into the sector.
