Equity market gains N121bn to close week

Transactions on the floor of Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) last week closed in upward trend, as value of equity increased by N121 billion. Specifically, the market capitalisation of listed equities rose by 1.27 per cent  to N9.620 trillion  from N9.499 trillion recorded the previous week. Also the NSE All-Share Index  rose by 350.49 basis points to 28009.93 from 27659.44 points reported the previous week.

Similarly, all other Indices finished higher during the week, with the exception of the NSE Consumer Goods
Index, NSE Oil/Gas Index, NSE Lotus II and the NSE Industrial Goods Index that declined by 0.38 per cent,
5.16 per cent , 0.11 per cent  and 2.24 per cent  respectively,while the NSE ASeM Index remains flat.  NSE Premium Index increased by 27.47 to 1,774.14, .
The NSE main Board index rose by 13.31 to 1249.88 NSE 30 Index grew by 17.01 basis points to 1245.81, NSE Banking index surged by 24.15 to 132.68 while NSE Insurance Index 2.52 basis points to 132.68 and NSE pension Index 24.10 to 834.55 points.

The analysis of the trading showed that Investors for the week traded a  turnover of  1.867 billion  shares worth  N16.330 billion in  21,584 deals  in contrast to a total of  1.350 billion  shares valued at N9.287 billion that exchanged hands last week in  18,679 deals.
The Financial Services Industry  led the activity chart with 1.591 billion shares valued at N9.787 billion traded in 13,810 deals; thus contributing 85.18 per cent  and 59.93 per cent  to the total equity turnover
volume and value respectively.

The Conglomerates Industry followed with 72.101 million shares worth
N141.675 million in  857 deals. The third place was occupied by the Healthcare Industry with a turnover of 57.563 million shares worth N148.547 million in 400 deals.
Trading in the top three equities namely – United Bank for Africa Plc , FBN Holdings Plc and Access Bank
Plc  accounted for 929.361 million shares worth N4.085 billion in 4,053 deals, contributing 49.77 per cent  and 25.02 per cent  to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

Further  analysis of the investment  indicated that  35 equities appreciated in price during the week against 15 recorded the previous week. The result revealed that 31firms  depreciated in price, against 44 equities of the  previous week, while 114 companies remained unchanged lower than 121 equities recorded in the preceding week.
MRS Oil Nigeria Plc led gainers table, growing by 21.45 per cent or N6.85 kobo to close at N38.78 kobo, followed by Guaranty Trust Bank with a gain of 14.36 per ent or N3.02 kobo to close at N24.05 kobo while Dangote Flour Mills Plc appreciated by 12.86 per cent or N0.53 kobo to close at N4.65 kobo.