By Michael Eboh & Providence Obuh
Despite decline in the prices of majority of the listed equities, an upward trend was recorded on the equities segment of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, last week, as the value of investments on the NSE, represented by the market capitalisation, rose by N58.05 billion.

In particular, the capitalisation rose by 0.96 per cent to close the week at N6.076 trillion from N6.018 trillion at which it opened.

The All-share index, another key performance indicator, garnered 237.34 basis points to close at 24,846.64 points from 24,609.30 points.

Thirty-seven stocks appeared on the share price gainers’ table, compared to Forty-nine on the losers’ chart. Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc recorded the most share price gain, rising by N8.00 to close at N76.00 per share, Nigerian Breweries Plc followed with a gain of N3.72 to close at N65.46 per share and Julius Berger Nigeria Plc garnered N2.75 to close at N57.75 per share.

Other share price gainers include: Lafarge WAPCO Cement Nigeria Plc N1.79, Chemical and Allied Products Plc N1.50, Nigerian Bottling Company Plc N1.30, Glaxo Smithkline Consumer (Nigeria) Plc N1.17, Nestle Nigeria Plc N1.00, First Bank of Nigeria Plc N0.80, Ecobank Nigeria Plc N0.77 among others.

On the contrary, Guinness Nigeria Plc recorded the most share price loss, dropping by N4.00 to close at N162.00 per share, Oando Plc followed with a loss of N4.00 to close at N70.00 per share and Total Nigeria Plc dipped by N3.94 to close at N250.00 per share.

Other share price losers include: African Petroleum Plc N2.71, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc N1.36, MRS Oil Nigeria Plc N1.25, Costain (West Africa) Plc N1.05, Ashaka Cement Plc N0.97, Cadbury Nigeria Plc N0.82, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc N0.69 among others.

Equity trading, however, dipped by 5.63 per cent as a turnover of 1.51 billion shares valued at N9.82 billion was recorded in 29,134 deals, in contrast to the previous week’s turnover of 1.6 billion shares valued at N13.7 billion in 29,354 deals.

The banking sub-sector dominated the other sub-sectors, accounting for 41.46 per cent of the market turnover, with 625.95 million shares valued at N5 billion in 15,534 deals.

Zenith Bank Plc enjoyed the most patronage in the sub-sector, trading 126 million shares valued at N1.63 billion in 1,889 deals, followed by Afribank Nigeria Plc with the exchange of 81.12 million shares valued at N141.59 million in 224 deals and First Bank of Nigeria Plc recorded 63.61 million shares valued at N817.91 million in 3,656 deals.

The Conglomerates sub-sector followed on the sectorial analysis, accounting for 10.8 per cent of the market turnover, with 162.63 million shares valued at N148.84 million in 1,518 deals.

Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc recorded the highest transactions in the sub-sector, trading 171.91 million shares valued at N85.95 million in 199 deals, followed by Unilever Nigeria Plc with the exchange of 7.81 million shares valued at N186.26 million in 572 deals and UAC Nigeria Plc recorded 4.86 million shares valued at N201.34 million in 324 deals.