Investors lost N86.82 billion of their investment in quoted securities on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) last week.

This was represented by a decline in the share prices of majority of the quoted companies, forcing down the market capitalisation and All-share index by 1.7 per cent and 1.93 per cent respectively.

The capitalisation which opened the week at N5.134 trillion shed N86.82 billion to close the week at N5.047 trillion while the index dipped by 417.59 basis points to close at 21,217.77 points from 21,635.36 points at which it opened.

Guinness Nigeria Plc recorded the most share price loss in the week under review, dropping N3.99 to close at N132.01 per share, UAC Nigeria Plc followed with a loss of N3.00 to close at N38.00 per share and Conoil Plc dipped by N1.66 to close at N31.66 per share.

Other share price losers include: United Bank for Africa Plc N1.17, African Petroleum Plc N0.80, Skye Bank Plc N0.80, G.Cappa Plc N0.76, Zenith Bank Plc N0.75, Union Bank Nigeria Plc N0.75, Ecobank Nigeria Plc N0.75 among others.

On the contrary, Lafarge Cement WAPCO Plc recorded the most share price gain, rising by N1.97 to close at N30.97 per share, Flour Mills Nigeria Plc followed with a gain of N1.24 to close at N33.50 per share and PZ Cussons (Nigeria) Plc garnered N0.62 to close at N23.61 per share.

Other share price gainers include: Seven-Up Bottling Company Plc N0.60, Nestle Nigeria Plc N0.59, Benue Cement Company Plc N0.50, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated N0.48, RT. Briscoe (Nigeria) Plc N0.33, Costain (West Africa) Plc N0.33, Glaxo SmithKline Consumer Plc N0.30 among others.

Equity trading depreciated by 58.13 per cent in the week under review, as a turnover of 1.34 billion shares valued at N7.0 billion in 17,121 deals, in contrast to the previous week’s turnover of 3.2 billion shares valued at N15.5 billion in 30,334 deals.

The Banking sub-sector dominated then other sub-sectors, accounting for 62.96 per cent of the market turnover, with 847.54 million shares valued at N4.25 billion in 9,460 deals. FinBank Plc recorded the highest patronage in the sub-sector, trading 346.88 million shares valued at N241.54 million in 385 deals, First Bank of Nigeria Plc followed with the exchange of 100.74 million shares valued at N1.41 billion in 2,559 deals and Fidelity Bank Plc recorded 81.54 million shares valued at N218.2 million in 545 deals.

The Insurance sub-sector followed on the sectorial analysis, accounting for 11.87 per cent of the market turnover, with 159.45 million shares valued at N134.91 million in 1,418 deals. AIICO Insurance Plc emerged the most active in the sub-sector, trading 49.28 million shares valued at N44.15 million in 678 deals, followed by Cornerstone Insurance Plc with a turnover of 44.8 million shares valued at N26.06 million in 60 deals and NEM Insurance Plc recorded 10.9 million shares valued at N5.89 million in 115 deals.