Equities market closes 0.21%, as market capitalization down N23bn
By Philemon Adedeji
The bearish sentiments persisted at the close of trade yesterday, as the benchmark All-Share index gave up at 94.8 basis points or 0.21 per cent to close at 43,745.73 points from 43,839.08 Index points it closed trade on previous trading day.
Sell pressures in BUAFOODS (-4.80 per ccent), SEPLAT (-8.33 per cent) and STANBIC (-2.61 per cent) were the primary drivers of the drag on the overall market’s performance. Specifically, the year-to-date (YTD) return dipped to 2.41 per cent, while the market capitalization shed N50.15 billion to close at N23.83 trillion.
Analysis of today’s market activities showed trade turnover settled higher relative to the previous session, with the value of transactions up by 15.68 per cent.
A total of 172.87 million shares valued at N4.01 billion were exchanged in 4,110 deals. ACCESSCORP (+1.28 per cent) led the volume chart with 24.68 million units traded while SEPLAT (-8.33 per cent) led the value chart in deals worth N2.53 billion.
The market sentiments as measured by market breadth closed negative at a 1.29-to-1 ratio with declining issues outnumbering advancing ones, as NAHCO (+9.35 per cent) led thirteen (13) others on the leader’s table, while, Julius Berger (-9.46 per cent) led 17 others on the laggard’s table.
Nigerian Aviation Holding Company emerged as the highest price gainer on the leaders table with 9.35 per cent to close at N6.20 per share, Regalins Insurance followed with 4.35 per cent to close at N0.24 per share, while UPDC went up by 4.21 per cent to close at N0.99 per share.
Aiico Insurance which recorded as the last fourth gainer appreciated 3.64 per cent to close at N0.57 per share and LASACO Assurance rose by 3.57 per cent to close at N0.87 per cent.
However, Julius Berger emerged as the highest price loser on the laggard table which dipped by 9.45 to close at N23.45 per share, Seplat plc down by 8.33 per cent to close at N1100.00 while Chams plc depreciated by 8.00 per cent to close at N0.23 per share.
Linkages Assurance lost 7.69 per cent to close at N0.36 per share and UPL which recorded as the last fifth loser down by 6.15 per cent to close at N1.68 per share.
Transaction in the shares of Accesscorp topped the activities chart with 24.681 million share worth 194.142 million, followed by Sterling Bank which transacted 21.971 million share valued at 31.129 million, while Transcorp plc traded 15.219 million share worth 16.155 million.
United Bank of Africa accounted 13.575 million share worth 95.820 million and Zenith Bank sold 9.566 million share valued at 191.798 million.
