INVESTMENT VALUE ON NSE APPRECIATES BY N121BN

By MICHAEL EBOH
A bullish trend wasrecorded in transactions on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, last week, as the value of listed equities appreciated by N121.965 billion.

Equities' value, represented by the market capitalization, rose by 1.88 per cent to close the week at N6.612 trillion from N6.489 trillion at which it opened.

The All-share index also appreciated, however, by 1.74 per cent or 357.99 points to close the week at 20,950.01 points from 20,592.02 points at which it opened.

Nestle Nigeria Plc led 42 other companies on the weekly price gainers' table, with a share price gain of N41.54 to close the week at N441.54 per share from N400 per share; Guinness Nigeria Plc followed with a gain of N20.90 to close at N230 per share and Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc garnered N6.65 to close at N139.65 per share.

Other share price gainers include: Nigerian Breweries Plc N5.05, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc N3.38, Flour Mills Nigeria Plc N3.13, Cadbury Nigeria Plc N1.53, NCR (Nigeria) Plc N1.04, Ashaka Cement Plc N0.92 and PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc N0.90 among others.

On the contrary, Oando Plc recorded the most share price loss, dropping by N2.05 to close the week at N22.38 per share from N24.43 per share at which it opened the week; Access Bank Plc followed with a loss of N0.81 to close at N6.82 per share and Union Bank Plc dipped by N0.61 to close at N5.76 per share.

Other share price losers include: UAC Nigeria Plc N0.61, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc N0.55, Zenith Bank Plc N0.49, First Bank of Nigeria Plc N0.39, United Bank for Africa Plc N0.34, Berger Paints Plc N0.26, Avon Crowncaps and Containers Plc N0.26 among others.

However, a decline was recorded in trading activities, as the volume of shares traded last week dipped by 13.45 per cent, as investors exchanged 1.924 billion shares valued at N16.679 billion in 20,158 deals, compared to penultimate week's turnover of 2.223 billion shares valued at N13.356 billion in 21,433 deals.

The Financial Services sector recorded the highest transaction in the sectorial analysis, accounting for 74.48 per cent of the total market turnover with 1.433 billion shares valued at N9.131 billion in 11,434 deals, the Conglomerates sector followed, accounting for 11.28 per cent of the market turnover, with 217.04 million shares valued at N230.91 million in 710 deals.

Banks' stocks in the Financial Services sector were the most sought after in the week under review, as investors traded 1.267 billion banks shares valued at N9.039 billion in 10,929 deals. United Bank for Africa Plc recorded the highest patronage in the banking sub-sector, trading 331.616 million shares valued at N954.113 million in 1,479 deals; Access Bank Plc followed with the exchange of 104.23 million shares valued at N766.119 million in 1,005 deals and Fidelity Bank Plc recorded 102.01 million shares valued at N148.219 million in 379 deals.

The Diversified Industries sub-sector in the Conglomerates sector trailed the banking sub-sector, with a turnover of 217.043 million shares valued at N230.910 million in 710 deals.