By Kayode Tokede

The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share Index and Market Capitalization both appreciated by 0.86 per cent to close week-on-week (wow) at 28,659.45 basis points and N14.980 trillion respectively.

Activities last week declined from the levels seen in recent weeks with the value of trades falling 35 per cent w/w.

The market struggled to find direction, closing broadly flat in four of five sessions during last week. However, late gains on last Friday drove the market to a fourth-consecutive weekly gain.

Notably, investors’ interest in Zenith Bank (+7.8 per cent), WAPCO (+10.9 per cent), and UBA (+5.9 per cent) drove the benchmark higher.

The equities market I its Month-till-Date (MtD) and Year-till-Date (YTD) return for the index grew to 6.8per cent respectively.

The Banking (+2.9 per cent) index topped the sectoral charts, followed by the Oil & Gas (+2.4 per cent), Consumer Goods (+1.9 per cent), and Industrial Goods (+0.2 per cent) indices. The Insurance (-0.7 per cent) index was the sole loser.

Other indices finished higher with the exception of NSE Insurance which depreciated by0.68 per cent while the NSE ASeM Index closed flat.

A total turnover of 1.955 billion shares worth N22.978 billion in 22,844 deals were traded in the week by investors on the floor of the Exchange, in contrast to a total of 3.140 billion shares valued at N35.372 billion that exchanged hands last week in 35,099 deals.

The Financial Services industry (measured by volume) led the activity chart with 1.648 billion shares valued at N18.824 billion traded in 13,050 deals; thus contributing 84.29 per cent and 81.92 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

The Conglomerates industry followed with 99.313 million shares worth N87.823 million in 553 deals. The third place was the Consumer Goods, with a turnover of 60.570 million shares worth N991.189 million in 3,269 deals.

Trading in the top-three equities namely United Bank for Africa Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc and Zenith Bank Plc. (measured by volume) accounted for 885.515 million shares worth N15.881 billion in 6,308 deals, contributing 45.30 per cent and 69.11 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

A total of 35 equities appreciated in price during the week, lower than 53 equities in the previous week. 23 equities depreciated in price, higher than 14 equities in the previous week, while 104 equities remained unchanged, higher than 96 recorded in the previous week.

A total of 701,543 units of ETPs valued at N6.051 billion were traded this week in 44 deals compared with a total of 1.051 million units valued at N4.847 billion transacted last week in 33 deals.

A total of 19,475 units of Bonds valued at N23.752 million were traded this week in five deals compared with a total of 79,691 units valued at N108.241 million transacted last week in 23 deals.

“We expect the market to continue to benefit as domestic investors seek alpha-yielding opportunities in the face of increasingly negative real returns in the fixed income market.

“However, we advise investors to trade in only fundamentally justified stocks as the weak macro environment remains a significant headwind for listed companies, analysts at Cordros capital explained.