Equity trading value on NSE climbs 7.30% as financial services dominate

The value of stocks bought and sold at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) rose 7.30 per cent to N12.295 billion on Friday last week compared to N11.458 billion the previous week.

A weekly stock market data report released by the NSE on Friday showed that 1.061 billion shares were exchanged by investors in 18,847 deals consummated on the floor of the Exchange.

The figure showed that even though the volume traded dropped 10.37 per cent from the previous week when 1.171 billion shares were traded by investors, the number of transactions actually increased by 36.94 per cent from 13,763 deals the previous week.

The financial services industry held the most attraction for investors as transactions in the shares of companies in the industry controlled proceedings on the exchange for the week.

“The Financial Services Industry (measured by volume) led the activity chart with 802.195 million shares valued at N7.331 billion traded in 11,334 deals; thus contributing 75.62% and 59.63% to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively,” said the NSE report.

“The Conglomerates Industry followed with 109.378 million shares worth N174.604 million in 1,024 deals. The third place was occupied by Consumer Goods Industry with a turnover of 62.992 million shares worth N2.405 billion in 3,021deals.”

According to the report, trading in the top three equities, Zenith Bank Plc, Transcorp, and FBN Holdings accounted for 317.099 million shares worth N3.223 billion in 3,823 deals, contributing 29.89% and 26.21% to the total equity turnover volume and value.

The All-Share Index (ASI) rose 0.32 per cent on Friday to close at 32,459.17 compared to 32,354.78 achieved on Thursday; the market capitalisation, which opened at N11.151 trillion increased by N36 billion to close at N11.187 trillion due to price growth.

Seplat recorded the highest price growth to lead the gainers’ table, with N2.00 price increase to close at N467 per share, followed by CAP and Dangote Cement which gained N1.00 and 99k to close at N34 and N204.93 per share.

Flour Mills added 78k to close at N22.78, while UACN improved by 75k to close at N17.25 per share. Conoil topped the losers’ chart, shedding N3.92 to close at N36.31 per share.

PZ trailed with a loss of N2.14 to close at N21, while Unilever shed N1.03 to close at N34 per share. Nigeria Breweries shed N1 to close at N154; Forte Oil lost 70k to close at N48.70 per share.

INNOCENT UNAH