BY MICHAEL EBOH

Investors lost N47.439 billion in the secondary segment of the Nigerian capital market last week, as the value of their investment in the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, dipped by 0.66 per cent.

In particular, investment value, represented by the market capitalization, dipped by 0.66 per cent from N7.138 trillion at which it opened the week, to close at N7.090 trillion.

Another major market indicator, the All-share index, also dipped by 0.66 per cent or 148.75 basis points to close the week at 22,381.11 points, from 22,232.36 points at which it opened the week.

Guinness Nigeria Plc led 34 other stocks on the price losers’ category in the week under review, dropping by 4.69 per cent to close N223.99 per share, Total Nigeria Plc followed with a loss of N6.94 or 4.99 per cent to close at N132.01 per share and Unilever Nigeria Plc dipped by N2.21 to close at N28.30 per share.

On the contrary, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc recorded the most share price gain, rising by  9.47 per cent to close at N34.00 per share followed by First Bank of Nigeria Plc with a gain of 8.56 per cent to close at N11.41 per share and Ecobank Transnational Incorporated rose by 2.71 per cent to close the week at N11.38 per share.

Equity trading dipped by 5.84 per cent, as a turnover of 1.74 billion shares valued at N15.108 billion was recorded in 19,754 deals, in contrast to penultimate week’s turnover of  1.848 billion shares valued at N13.863 billion in 20,435 deals.

At the close of trading activities for the week, the Financial Services sector of the equities market was the most active (measured by turnover volume) with 1.300 billion shares valued at N8.881 billion traded in 11,347 deals. This was followed by Conglomerates Sector with 197.476 million shares valued at N505.041 million traded in 767 deals.