BY PROVIDENCE OBUH
Trading on the Nigerian Stock Exchange NSE resumed Monday on a bearish note as the value of listed equities, represented by the market capitalisation, declined by N18.41 billion.

Specifically, the capitalisation dropped by 0.23 per cent to close at N7.883 trillion from N7.902 trillion at which it opened.

Another key performance indices, the All share index dipped by 0.23 per cent or 57.63 bases points to close at 24,675.75 points from 24,733.38 points.

Equity trading plunge 91.44 per cent as a  turnover of 209.67 million shares valued at N1.64 billion was recorded in 5,123 deals in contrast to the previous day’s turnover of 2.44 million shares valued at N5.62 billion in 5,477 deals.

Cement Company of Northern Nigeria Plc recorded a loss of N0.53 to close at N10.25 per share, Cadbury Nigeria Plc followed with a loss of N1.03 to close at N19.97 per share and Custodian and Allied Insurance Plc dipped by N0.15 to close at N2.95 per share.

Other share price losers include: IHS Plc N0.15, Oceanic Bank International Plc N0.10, Continental Reinsurance Plc N0.05, Jos Breweries Plc N0.13, Spring Bank Plc N0.06, Niger Insurance Plc N0.03, Evans Medical Plc N0.05, among others.

On the contrary, Afribank Nigeria Plc led on the gainers table with five per cent or N0.09 to close at N1.89 per share, University Press Plc followed with a gain of N0.24 to close at N5.09 per share and Transnational Incorporation Plc garnered N0.07 to close at N1.52 per share.

Other share price gainers include: Guarantee Trust Assurance Plc N0.07, Air Service and Logistics Plc N0.08, UTC Nigeria Plc N0.03, Bags Manufacturing Company Plc N0.11, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc N0.35, Starcomms Plc N0.03, Law Union and Rocks Plc N0.02, among others.

The Banking sub-sector dominated the other sub-sector on the sectorial analysis accounting for 63.31  per cent of the market turnover with 132.73 million shares valued at N1.03 billion in 3,010 deals.

First Bank of Nigeria Plc was the most active on the sectorial analysis accounting for 15.84 million shares valued at N221.31 million in 649 deals, Zenith Bank Plc followed with the exchange of 15.82 million shares valued at N228.25 million in 384 deals and First City Monument Bank Plc recorded 11.62 million shares valued at N82.98 million in 39 deals.

The Insurance sub-sector trailed on the sectorial analysis accounting for 9.89 per cent of the market turnover with 20.73 million shares valued at N14.13 million in 175 deals.  Lasaco Assurance Plc dominated activities in the sub-sector trading 10.19 million shares valued at 5.09 million in eight deals, AIICO Insurance Plc followed with the exchange of 3.21 million shares valued at N2.97 million in 76 deals and Continental Re-insurance Plc recorded 2.29 million shares valued at N2.29 million in six deals.

However, NSE 30 which measures the performance of blue chips in the market dropped by 0.39 per cent, NSE Food & Beverages dropped the highest points by 0.77 per cent, NSE Insurance dipped by 0.77 per cent, NSE Banking moved down by 0.31 per cent and NSE Oil & Gas garnered 0.31 per cent.