By Amaka Ifeakandu
Lagos
Trading on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) yesterday opened week in a bearish trend following loses recorded by some capitalised companies. Specifically, the nation’s equity market went down by N44 billion to N13.699 trillion from N13.712 trillion traded previously. Also, the NSE All Share Index depreciated by 134.26 basis points to 41398.05 points from 41532.31 traded last week Friday.
Guinness Nigeria Plc led losers table during the day shedding N5.00 to close at N180.00, Nigerian Breweries followed with a loss of N0.95 kobo to close at N176.05 kobo while Oando Plc, Zenith International Bank and GTBank fell by N0.70 kobo, N0.59 kobo and N0.39 kobo respectively to close at N26.75 kobo, N24.01 kobo and N29.51kobo.
On the contrary, Forte Oil plc topped gainers chart, improving by N0.99 kobo to close at N229.99 kobo, UPDC Reit trailed with a gain of N0.43 kobo to close at N9.13 kobo while Eterna Oil appreciated by N0.37 kobo to close at N4.09 kobo. Other companies that recorded price appreciation were Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp) and Lafarge Wapco which gained N0.33 kobo and N0.24 kobo respectively to close at N6.43 kobo and N117.25 kobo.
The trading result showed that financial service sector led activities for the day, exchanging 132.099 million shares worth N1.138 billion in 2391 deals. Banking sub sector was most active in the sector with account of 98.502 million shares valued at N907.401 million in 1543 deals. Access Bank was the toast of investors in banking sector as it accounted for 36.414 million shares worth N354.119 million in 160 deals. Diamond Bank came second in the subsector with a total of 19.799 million shares cost N120.261 million in 121 deals.
Oil and gas sector boosted by Eterna Oil followed in daily activity having accounted for 46.303 million shares valued at N416.235 million in 405 deals. Conglomerate sector enhanced by Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Transcop) took third position, trading 17.810 million shares worth N124.4 million in 325 deals.
In all, investors bought 222.428 million shares worth N2.268 billion in 4455 deals against 355.923 million shares valued at N6.132 billion exchanged the previous day in 325 deals.
