By Providence Obuh & Chinelo Dunu
A fluctuating trend was recorded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), last week, as profit-taking forced down the value of listed equities, represented by the market capitalisation, by N247.20 million.

Specifically, the capitalisation dropped by 0.003 per cent to close at N7.809 trillion from N7.809 trillion at which it opened the week.

Another key performance indices, the All share index, depreciated by 0.003 or 0.78 basis points to close at 24,444.28 points from 24,445.06 points.

Nestle Nigeria Plc led 48 other stocks on the losers’ table in the week under review, dropping by N9.84 to close at N370.16 per share,  MRS Oil Nigeria Plc followed with a loss of N7.18 to close at N66.56 per share and Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc dipped by N3.88 to close at N141.00.

Other share price losers’ include: Northern Nigeria Flour Mills Plc N2.09, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc N1.97, Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria Plc N1.47, Glaxo SmithKline Consumer Nigeria  Plc N1.24, Dangote Cement Plc  N0.99 , Presco Plc N0.99 and African Petroleum Plc N0.85, among others.

On the contrary, Nigeria Bottling Company Plc led 35 other stocks on the gainers’ table with a gain of N6.45 to close at N36.48 per share, Oando Plc followed with a gain of N2.07 to close at N66.07 per share and Ashaka Cement Plc garnered N1.99 to close at N27.00 per share

Other share price gainers’ include: Conoil Plc N1.65, Cement Company of Northern Nigeria Plc N1.10, PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc N0.58, GTBank Plc N0.55, Zenith Bank Plc N0.51,

First Bank of Nigeria Plc N0.50, Vono Products Plc N0.49, among others.
Equity trading appreciated by 44.4 per cent in the week under review, as a turnover of 1.95 billion shares valued at N20.78 billion was recorded in 27,764 deals, in contrast to the previous week’s turnover of 1.35 billion shares valued at N13.34 billion in 30,638 deals.

The Banking sub-sector was the most active in the sectorial analysis, accounting for 72.82 per cent of the market turnover with 1.42 billion shares valued at N15.55 billion in 16,261 deals.

Zenith Bank Plc dominated activities in the sub-sector, trading 705.31 million shares valued at N10.07 billion in 2,495 deals, United Bank for Africa Plc followed with the exchange of 108.02 million shares valued at N911.62 million in 1,230 deals and GTBank Plc recorded 105.42 million shares valued at N1.81 billion in 2,664 deals.
The Insurance sub-sector followed on the sectorial analysis, accounting for 7.60 per cent of the market turnover with 146.38 million shares valued at N110.39 million in 1,242 deals.

AIICO Insurance Plc recorded the highest patronage in the sub-sector, trading 26.20 million shares valued at N21.64 million in513 deals, Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc followed with the exchange of 16.15 million shares valued at N8.07 million in 15 deals and Oasis Insurance Plc recorded 15.25 million shares valued at N7.62 million in 15 deals.