BY PROVIDENCE OBUH

The one day improvement recorded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange NSE was halted Wednesday, as the indices for measuring the performance of listed equities, the market capitalisation and All share index, depreciated by 0.51 per cent each.

In particular, the capitalisation declined by N40.32 billion to close at N7.862 trillion from N7.902 trillion at which it opened while the index shed 126.2 basis points to close at 24,608.94 points from 24,735.14 points.
PZ Cussons Plc led on the losers’ table with 4.47 per cent or N1.34 to close at N28.66 per share, Ecobank Nigeria Plc followed with a loss of N0.18 to close at N3.97 per share and Starcomms Plc dipped by N0.03 to close at N0.75 per share.

Other share price losers include: FTN Cocoa Processors Plc N0.02, Law Union and Rocks Plc N0.02, United Bank Nigeria Plc N0.31, Bank PHB Plc N0.04, Wema Bank Plc N0.04, First Bank Plc N0.40, Fidelity Bank Plc N0.07, among others.

On the contrary, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc recorded N0.46 gain to close at N9.74 per share, Diamond Bank Plc followed with a gain of N0.28 to close at N5.93 per share and Custodian and Allied Insurance Plc garnered N0.14 to close at N2.99 per share.

Other share price gainers include: Cadbury NigeriaPlc N0.98, Presco Plc N0.33, Capital Hotel Plc N0.16, Eterna Oil Plc N0.22, International Breweries Plc N0.30, Continental Reinsurance Plc N0.05, Fidson Healthcare Plc N0.09, among others.

A turnover of 217.73 million shares valued at N2.22 million was recorded in 5,921 deals as trading plunge 47.90 per cent, in contrast to the previous day’s turnover of 417.92 million shares valued at N2.85 billion in 6,575 deals.

The Banking sub-sector enjoyed the most patronage on the sectorial analysis accounting for 68.64 per cent of the market turnover with 148.14 million shares valued at N1.39 billion  in 3,407 deals.  Guaranty Trust Bank Plc was the most active in the sub-sector trading 34.59 million shares valued at N676.55 million in 1,041 deals, United Bank for AfricaPlc followedwith the exchange of 20.64 million shares valued at N167.41 million in 244 deals and Access Bank Plc recorded 14.10 million shares valued at N112.91 million im 158 deals.

The conglomerates sub-sector trailed on the sectorial analysis accounting for 7.94 per cent of the market turnover with 17.29 million shares valued at N176.65 million in 285 deals.  Transnational Incorporation Plc recorded the highest activity in the sub-sector.