By Michael Eboh
TRADING on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) started the first trading week of the year 2010 on an impressive note for investors, as the value of their investment appreciated by N199.19 billion.

The rise in their investment value was driven by gains on the share prices of majority of the listed equities, engendering a significant appreciation in the major market indicators, the market capitalisation and All-share index.
The capitalisation rose by N199.19 billion or 3.99 per cent from N4.989 trillion at which it opened the week to close at N5.188 trillion while the index garnered 831.52 basis points to close at 21,658.69 points from 20,827.17 points at which it opened.

Sixty-eight stocks recorded share price appreciation in the week under review, led by Nigerian Breweries Plc with a gain of  N3.98 to close at N57.00 per share, Benue Cement Company Plc followed with a gain of N3.49 to close at N46.50 per share and Flour Mills Nigeria Plc garnered N3.00 to close at N39.00 per share.

Other share price gainers include: Conoil Plc N2.83, Dangote Flour Mills Plc N2.63, Unilever Nigeria Plc N2.55, Nigeria Bottling Company Plc N2.22, Ashaka Cement Plc    N1.75, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc N1.68, Cement Company of Northern Nigeria Plc N1.44 among others.

On the contrary, Incar Nigeria Plc led 34 other stocks in the price losers’ category, in the week under review, dropping by N0.95 to close at N3.38 per share, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated followed with a loss of N0.84 to close at N14.16 per share and Vitafoam Nigeria Plc dipped by N0.63 to close at N5.02 per share.

Other share price losers include: Ecobank Nigeria Plc N0.53, Longman Nigeria Plc N0.45, National Sports Lottery Plc N0.41, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc N0.41, Unity Kapital Assurance Plc N0.32, Dicon Salt Plc N0.30, Tripple Gee & Company Plc N0.24 among others.

Equity trading appreciated by 28.57 per cent as a turnover of 1.8 billion shares valued at N9.97 billion was exchanged last week in 35,987, in contrast to the previous week’s turnover of  1.4 billion shares valued at N6.6 billion in 18,369 deals.

The Banking sub-sector dominated the other sub-sector in the week under review, accounting for 56.52 per cent of the market turnover, with 987.68 million shares valued at N6.23 billion in 17,640 deals. FinBank Plc recorded the highest patronage in the sub-sector, trading 171.44 million shares valued at N98.92 million in 725 deals, First Bank of Nigeria Plc followed with the exchange of 123.7 million shares valued at N1.77 billion in 4,819 deals and Fidelity Bank Plc recorded 84.9 million shares valued at N207.47 million in 861 deals.

The Insurance sub-sector followed on the sectorial analysis, accounting for 12.33 per cent of the market turnover, with 222.1 million shares valued at N204.05million in 2,341 deals. Lasaco Assurance Plc dominated trading in the sub-sector, with 36.05 million shares valued at N20.7 million in 222 deals, AIICO Insurance Plc followed with the exchange of 32.48 million shares valued at N28.07 million in 814 deals and Guaranty Trust Assurance Plc recorded 28.37 million shares valued at N59.45 million in 150 deals.