By PROVIDENCE OBUH & FAVOUR AGBI

A decline was recorded in trading on the Nigerian Stock Exchange NSE, last week, as the indices for measuring the performance of listed equities, the market capitalisation and the All-share index both dropped by 4.28 per cent.

In particular, the capitalisation dipped by N288.33 billion to N6.442 trillion from N6.730 trillion at which it opened the week, while the index shed 904.17 bases points to close at 20,202.50 points from 21,106.67 points at which it opened.

Flour Mills Nigeria Plc recorded the highest share price loss, dropping by N6.04 to close at N72.95 per share, Dangote Cement Plc followed with a loss of N5 to close at N95 per share while Chemical and Allied Products Plc shed N4.47 to close at N19.76 per share.

Other share price losers include: Nigerian Breweries Plc N3.91, Oando Plc N3.60, Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria Plc N2.78, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc N2.61, UAC of Nigeria Plc N1.95, Ashaka Cement PlcN1.69, UACN Property Development Company Plc N1.66, among others

On the contrary, Guinness Nigerian Plc recorded the most share price gain, rising by N1.51 to close at N221.51 per share, Okomu Oil Palm Plc followed with a gain of N0.92 to close at N19.42 per share and Roads Nigeria Plc garnered N0.78 to close at N19.42 per share.

Other share price gainers’ include: NCR Nigeria Plc N0.63, Dangote Flour Mills Plc N0.55, Unilever Nigeria Plc N0.51, 7-Up Bottling Company Plc N0.35, Ikeja Hotels Plc N0.29, Longman Nigeria Plc N0.23, University Press Plc N0.22, among others.

A turnover of 1.056 billion shares valued at N8.36 billion was recorded in 18,774 deals, representing an appreciation of 30.53 per cent from penultimate week’s turnover 809.75 million shares valued at N8.89 billion in 19,377 deals.

The Banking sub-sector was the most active on the sectorial analysis, accounting for 64.68 per cent of the market turnover with 683.55 million shares valued at N4.88 billion in 10,334 deals. Zenith Bank Plc enjoyed the highest patronage in the sub-sector, trading 134.81million shares valued at N1.66 billion in 1,372 deals, Fidelity Bank Plc followed with the exchange of 115.64 million shares valued at N237.64 million in 535 deals and Guaranty Trust Bank Plc recorded 99.58 million shares valued at N1.22 billion in 2,314 deals.

The Insurance sub-sector followed on the sectorial analysis, accounting for 84.98 million shares valued at N67.15 million in 494 deals. Continental Reinsurance Plc dominated activities in the sub-sector trading 31.41million shares valued at N32.05 million in 62 deals, Goldlink Insurance Plc followed with the exchange of 18.47 million shares valued at N9.48 million in 21 deals and Standard Alliance Insurance Plc recorded 11.40 million shares valued at N5.70 million in 10 deals.

However, One of the four sectorial indices appreciated during the week compared with all four that so depreciated during the preceding week. The NSE Insurance Index appreciated by 0.02 points or 0.02 per cent to close at 143.64, NSE Food & Beverage Index depreciated by 19.94 points or 2.85 per cent to closed at 685.22, the NSE Banking Index depreciated by 20.91 points or 7.09 per cent to close at 281.44 and the NSE Oil & Gas Index depreciated by 10.97 points or 4.50 per cent to close at 237.23.