By Kayode Tokede
The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share Index and Market Capitalization depreciated by 3.04 per cent to close the week at 40,439.85 basis points and N21.156 trillion respectively.
Similarly, all other indices finished lower with the exception of NSE Growth Index which rose by 0.42 per cent while the NSE ASeM and NSE Sovereign Bond Indices closed flat.
The Banking (-8.8 per cent) index led the losers chart followed by Insurance (-6.5 per cent), Industrial Goods (-5.7 per cent), Oil and Gas (-1.0 per cent) and Consumer Goods (-0.9 per cent) indices.
A total of 16 equities appreciated in price during the week, lower than 22 in the previous week while 55 equities depreciated in price, lower than 60 equities in the previous week, while 91 remained unchanged, higher than 80 recorded in the previous week.
A turnover of 2.683 billion shares worth N23.662 billion in 27,844 deals were traded in the week by investors on the floor of the Exchange, in contrast to a total of 2.767 billion shares valued at N29.685 billion that exchanged hands last week in 31,380 deals.
The Financial Services Industry (measured by volume) led the activity chart with 2.032 billion shares valued at N13.416 billion traded in 14,832 deals; thus contributing 75.74 per cent and 56.70 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.
The Consumer Goods Industry followed with 181.766 million shares worth N3.601 billion in 4,676 deals. The third place was Conglomerates Industry, with a turnover of 175.085 million shares worth N324.006 million in 1,168 deals.
Trading in the top-three equities namely Living Trust Mortgage Bank Plc, First Bank Holding Plc and Zenith Bank Plc (measured by volume) accounted for 1.208 billion shares worth N6.580 billion in 3,785 deals, contributing 45.02 per cent and 27.81 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.
A total of 1.394 million units of ETPs valued at N5.163 billion were traded this week in 36 deals compared with a total of 238,451 units valued at N1.799 billion transacted last week in 38 deals.
A total of 46,721 units of BONDS valued at N60.054 million were traded this week in 19 deals compared with a total of 8,002 units valued at N9.171 million transacted last week in seven deals.
According to analysts at Cordros capital, “With the latest outcome of the NTB auction pointing towards yield elevation in the near term, we expect investors to trade cautiously while taking positions in stocks with attractive dividend yields.
“As a result, we expect the local bourse to exhibit a zig-zag pattern in the near term as the opposing forces of uptick in yields and FY 2020 corporate earnings releases dictate market performance.
“Notwithstanding, we advise investors to take positions in only fundamentally justified stocks as the unimpressive macro story remains a significant headwind for corporate earnings.”