By Michael Eboh & Chinedu Ibeabuchi
The value of listed equities on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) appreciated Monday, by N95.57 billion. This was in spite of the dip in equity trading by 22.97 per cent.

In particular, the market capitalisation, representing equities’ value, rose by 1.84 per cent from N5.188 trillion at which it opened to close at N5.284 trillion.

The All-share index, another key performance indicator, also appreciated by 1.84 per cent, rising by 398.95 basis points to close at 22,057.64 points from 21,658.69 points at which it opened.

Also, a turnover of 307.44 million shares valued at N2.26 billion was recorded in 6,419 deals, this is in contrast to the Friday’s turnover of 399.14 million shares valued at N1.91 billion in 6,513 deals.

The Banking sub- sector emerged the most active in the sectorial analysis, accounting for 63 per cent of the total market turnover, with 193.13 million shares valued at N1.54 billion exchanged in 3,314 deals.

This was driven by transactions in the shares of First Bank of Nigeria Plc trading 32.55 million shares valued at N498.96 million in 975 deals, followed by Finbank Plc exchanging 24.39 million shares valued at N14.73 million in 102 deals and Access Bank Plc recorded 20.18 million shares valued at N161.62 million in 223 deals.

The Insurance sub-sector followed in the sectorial analysis, accounting for 13 per cent of the market turnover, with 39.37 million shares valued at N36.68 million in 479 deals. Continental Reinsurance Plc recorded the most patronage in the sub-sector, trading 10.51 million shares valued at N11.06 million in 26 deals, followed by International Energy Insurance Plc, with the exchange of 5.6 million shares valued at N3.79 million in 58 deals and Lasaco Assurance Plc recorded 3.63 million shares valued at N1.97 million in 38 deals.

Meanwhile, the surge in equities’ value was driven by appreciation in the share prices of majority of the listed equities as Sixty-three stocks appreciated in value compared to 20 which recorded share price loss.

Nestle Nigeria Plc recorded the most share price gain, rising by N11.97 to close at N251.47 per share, followed by Flour Mill Nigeria Plc with a gain of N1.95 to close at N40.95 per share and Conoil Plc garnered N1.52 to close at N31.98 per share.

Other share price gainers include: Unilever Nigeria Plc N1.05, Total Nigeria Plc N1.00, UAC Nigeria  Plc N0.94, PZ Cussons Plc N0.90, Zenith Bank Plc N0.73, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated Plc N0.70, and First Bank Nigeria Plc N0.70, among others.

On the contrary, Benue Cement Company Plc recorded the highest share price loss, dipped by N0.72 to close at N45.78 per share, Lafarge Wapco Cement Plc followed dropping by N0.45 to close at N29.55 per share and Poly Products Nigeria Plc lost N0.22 to close at N4.23 per share.

Other share price losers include: Juli Plc 0.17, Incar Nigeria Plc N0.16, Cement Company of Northern Nigeria Plc N0.15, Airline service and Logistics Plc N0.12, Access Bank Plc N0.12, Unity Kapital Assurance Plc N0.10 and Fidson Healthcare Plc N0.09, among others.