By NKIRUKA NNOROM

Heavy transaction recorded on the shares of Unity Bank Plc, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria, Transcorp, and Mass Telecommunication Innovation Nigeria plc last week boosted the transaction on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE.

Specifically, trading on the shares of the three companies accounted for 601.665 million shares worth N775.880 million traded in 1,341 deals out of a turnover of 1.278 billion shares worth N6.897 billion traded in 10,761 deals during the week.

The transactions on the shares contributed 47.09 percent and 11.25 percent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.
Investors interest in equity transaction on the NSE resulted in 1.6 percent upward movement in the twin market indicators.

Specifically, the NSE All-Share Index and market capitalisation appreciated by 1.69 percent to close on Friday at 40,231.68 and N12.875 trillion from 39,562.75 points and N 12.771 trillion they started the week at respectively. Further analysis of trading in the week revealed that all the other NSE indices excerpt the NSE ASeM (which remained unchanged) appreciated during the week: NSE 30 by 1.85 percent to close at 1,848.46; NSE Consumer Goods by 0.43 percent to close at 1,086.58; NSE Banking by 2.63 percent to close at 422.11; NSE Insurance by 1.28 percent to close at 149.89. Also, the NSE Oil/Gas Index increased by 6.67 percent to close at 325.40; NSE Lotus Islamic Index by 1.37 percent to close at 2,824.29 and NSE Industrial Goods Index by 1.63 percent to close at 2,501.21.

58 equities appreciated in prices during the week higher than 43 equities of the preceding week, while 11 stocks depreciated in prices lower than 34 in the preceding week. However, 129 equities remained unchanged higher than 121 in the previous week.

A turnover of 1.278 billion shares worth N6.897 billion in 10,761 deals were traded by investors in contrast to a total of 2.726 billion shares valued at N18.777 billion that exchanged hands in 22,228 deals in the previous week.