By Providence Obuh
The declining trend on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) continued, Tuesday, as the value of listed equities dipped by N52.72 billion.

In particular, the indices for measuring the performance of listed equities — the market capitalisation and All share index both dipped by 0.84 per cent each. The capitalisation closed at N6.216 trillion from N6.269 trillion at which it opened, while the index shed 215.55 points to close at 25,418.84 points from 25,634.39 points.

The decline was occasioned by losses on the share prices of highly capitalised stocks, led by MRS Oil Nigeria Plc with a loss of N4.50 to close at N85.60 per share, Oando Oil Plc followed with a loss of N3.48 to close at N66.22 per share and UAC Nigeria Plc dipped by N2.20 to close at N41.99 per share.

Other share price losers include: Lafarge Cement WAPCO Plc N2.05, PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc N1.60, Glaxo Smithkline Consumers Plc N1.41, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc N0.96, Unilever Nigeria Plc N0.66, Okomu Oil Palm Plc N0.54, Cement Company of Northern Nigeria Plc N0.52, among others.

Conversely, Mobil Oil Plc recorded the most share prices gain, rising by N8.00 to close at N173.00 per share, Nigerian Breweries Plc with a gain of N2.30 to close at N72.00 per share and Berger Paint Plc garnered N0.32 to close at N6.84 per share.

Other share price gainers include: United Bank for Africa Plc N0.28, Nigeria Aviation Handling Company Plc N0.27, Skye Bank Plc N0.18, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc N0.11, Starcomms Plc N0.09, First Bank of Nigeria Plc N0.09, Nigerian Bags Manufacturing Company Plc N0.06, among others.

Equity trading appreciated by 37.66 per cent, as a turnover of 266.22 million shares valued at N1.93 billion was recorded in 6,804 deals, compared to the previous day’s turnover of 193.39 million shares valued at N2.08 billion in 5,997 deals.

The Banking sub-sector dominated the other sub-sectors on the sectorial analysis, accounting for 35.12 per cent of the market turnover with N93.50 shares valued at N793.43 million in 3,568 deals.  Zenith Bank Plc recorded the highest transaction in the sub-sector, trading 17.35 million shares valued at N241.64 million in 488 deals, Access Bank Plc followed with the exchange of 12.78 million shares valued at N108.05 million in 216 deals and Guaranty Trust Bank Plc recorded 7.81 million shares valued at N131.18 million in 510 deals.

The Insurance sub-sector followed on the sectorial analysis, accounting for 29.41 per cent of the market turnover with 78.29 million shares valued at N85.60 million in 235 deals. Continental Reinsurance Plc recorded the most patronage in the sub-sector trading 60.12 million shares valued at N70.94 million in 3 deals, Intercontinental Wapic Insurance Plc followed with the exchange of 4.38 million shares valued at N2.68 million in 33 deals and Guaranty Trust Assurance Plc recorded 2.11 million shares valued at N4.25 million in 14 deals.