Equities market appreciates by 0.12% to maintain bullish run

By Kayode Tokede

Activities on the equities market of the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) on Wednesday closed on a positive note, extending the gaining streak to five consecutive trading sessions.

The positive outcome was buoyed by investors’ buy-interests in banking and industrial sectors, as NGX All-Share Index (ASI) increased by 0.12 per cent.

In summary, the All-Share Index (ASI) grew by 48.54 basis points, representing a growth of 0.12 per cent, to close at 40,765.20 points. Similarly, the overall market capitalisation value increased by N25 billion to close at N21.242 trillion.

With Wednesday gain, the market in the last three days appreciated by N286.53billion.

Sector performances were mixed today with the Banking (+0.06 per cent,) and Industrial (+0.05 per cent,) sectors closing positively, while the Consumer Goods (-0.15 per cent) and Oil and Gas (-0.04 per cent,) sectors closed southwards.

The market positive performance was driven by price appreciation in large and medium capitalised stocks which are; FBN Holdings (FBNH), Northern Nigeria Flour Mills (NNFM), UAC of Nigeria (UACN), Lafarge Africa and Africa Prudential.

However, the market breadth closed negative, recording 20 losers as against 19 gainers. FBNH recorded the highest price gain of 7.78 per cent, to close at N9.70, per share. University Press  followed with a gain 7.38 per cent to close at N1.31, per share. while NNFM appreciated  by 6.49 per cent to close at N8.20, per share.

Livestock Feeds went up by 5.38 per cent to close at N2.35, while Universal Insurance appreciated by five per cent to close at 21 kobo,  per share. On the other hand, Pharma Deko Plc led the losers’ chart by 6.01 per cent to close at N2.66, per share. Associated Bus Company followed with a decline of 5.71 per cent to close at 33 kobo, while Regency Alliance Insurance shed 4.88 per cent to close at 39 kobo, per share.

Chams shed 4.55 per cent to close at 21 kobo, while Sovereign Trust Insurance depreciated by 4.17 per cent to close at 23 kobo, respectively.

However, the total volume of trades dipped by 7.47 per cent to 400.652 million shares, worth N3.479 billion, and traded in 5,145 deals. Transactions in the shares of FBNH topped the activity chart with 108.741 million shares valued at N1.073 billion. Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp) followed with 39.676 million shares worth N38.381 million, while Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) traded 32.783 million shares valued at N189.907 million.

United Bank for Africa (UBA) traded 25.269 million shares valued at N204.443 million, while Fidelity Bank transacted 19.898 million shares worth N51.238 million.

Analysts at Investment One research said, “The equities market closed up today due to the gains recorded in the Banking and Industrial sectors.

“Going forward, we expect investor’s sentiments to be swayed by the search for real positive returns and developments in the interest rate space.

“We reiterate that this may be a great period to pick up some quality names with a medium to long-term investment horizon.”