By Providence Obuh

The bullish trend on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) continued Wednesday, as equities value represented by the market capitalisation appreciated by 14.45 billion.

In particular, the capitalisation surged by 0.18 per cent to close at N8.140 trillion from N8.126 trillion at which it opened. Another key performance indices the All share index appreciated by 0.18 per cent or 45.24 bases points to close at 25,478.17 points from 25,432.93 points.

Costain West Africa Plc led 36 other stocks on the gainers table with 4.97 per cent or N0.26 to close at N5.49 per share, Presco Plc followed with N0.36 gain to close at N7.72 per share and International Breweries Plc garnered N0.28 to close at N6.04 per share.

Other share price gainers include: Japaul Oil and Maritime Services Plc N0.06, AIICO Insurance Plc N0.04, Bank PHB Plc N0.06, Niger Insurance Plc N0.03, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc N0.4, Starcomms Plc N0.04, Tantalizers Plc N0.02, among others.

On the contrary, Northern Nigeria Flour Mills Plc led on the losers table dropping by 4.98 per cent or N1.61 to close at N30.73 per share, B.O.C Gases Plc followed with a loss of N0.44 to close at N8.4 per share and Juli Plc dipped by N0.15 to close at N2.9 per share. Other share price losers include: RT Briscoe Plc N0.13, Oceanic Bank Plc N0.1, Wema Bank Plc N0.06, C&I Leasing Plc N0.06, Ikeja Hotel Plc N0.07, AG Leventis Plc N0.1, Unity Bank Plc N0.05, among others.

Equity trading declined by 21.33 per cent as a turnover of 242.37 million shares valued at N2.59 billion was recorded in 6,094 deals in contrast to the previous day’s turnover of 308.08 million shares valued at N2.99 billion in 6,449 deals.

The Banking sub-sector dominated the other sub-sector on the sectorial analysis accounting for 69.65 per cent of the market turnover with 168.81 million shares valued at N1.66 billion in 3,441 deals. Zenith Bank Plc was the most active in the sub-sector trading 44.90 million shares valued at N697.76 million in 393 deals, First Bank of Nigeria Plc followed with the exchange of 21.96 million shares valued at N308.18 million in 698 deals and First City Monument Bank Plc recorded 16.04 million shares valued at N125.76 million in 78 deals.

The Insurance sub-sector followed on the sectorial analysis accounting for 6.60 per cent of the market turnover with 16 million shares valued at N9.54 million in 157 deals. NEM Insurance Company Nigeria Plc recorded the highest patronage in the sub-sector trading 11.63 million shares valued at N6,17 million in 22 deals, AIICO Insurance Plc followed with 1.40 million shares valued at N1.18 million in 49 deals and Niger Insurance Company Plc recorded 1.09 million shares valued at N731,054.00 in 24 deals.