By Providence Obuh
Investor hope has remain high as the value of their investment on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) last week increased by N140.58 billion.

Significantly, equities value represented by the market capitalisation rose by 2.27 per cent to close at N6.320 trillion from N6.179 trillion at which it opened the week.

Another key performance indices the All share index garnered 574.82 points, rose by 2.27 per cent to close at 25,844.18 points from 25,269.36 points.

However, Nestle Nigeria Plc led 43 other stocks on the gainers table with a gain of N8.00 to close at N364.00 per share, Guinness Nigeria Plc followed with a gain of N7.00 to close at N169.00 per share and Nigerian Breweries Plc garnered N4.24 to close at N70.24 per share.

Other share price gainers include: Nigerian Bottling Company Plc N3.32, Benue Cement Company Plc N2.45, 7-Up Bottling Company Plc N2.35, Lafarge Cement WAPCO Plc N2.00, Unilever Nigeria Plc N1.80, Chemical and Allied Product Plc N1.52, PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc N1.50, among others.

On the other hand, Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc led 48 other stocks on the losers table dropping by N7.94 to close at N158.00 per share, African Petroleum Plc followed with a loss of N5.82 to close at N27.08 per share and Julius Berger Nigeria Plc dipped by N2.74 to close at N55.01.

Other share price losers include: Conoil Plc N2.47, Okomu Oil Palm Plc N1.06, First Bank of Nigeria Plc N0.66, Red Star Express Plc N0.63, UACN Property Development Company Plc N0.55, C and I LeasingN0.38, RT Briscoe Plc N0.37, among others.

The upsurge on equity trading continued, as investors exchanged 2.11 billion shares valued at N17.7 billion in 33.067 deals. This represented an appreciation of 5.5 per cent compared to the previous week’s turnover of 2 billion shares valued at N14.1 billion in 30,906 deals.

The banking sub-sector enjoyed the most patronage in the week under review, accounting for 52.13 per cent of the total market turnover, with 1.1 billion shares valued at N9 billion in 19,170 deals. Diamond Bank Plc accounted for majority of the transactions in the sub-sector, with 140.60 million shares valued at N1.08 billion in 558 deals, United Bank for Africa Plc followed with the exchange of 115.60 million shares valued at N1.22 billion in 1,418 deals and First Bank of Nigeria Plc recorded 113.38 million shares valued at N1.59 billion in 3,710 deals.

The Insurance sub-sector followed on the sectorial analysis, accounting for 15.63 per cent of the total market turnover, with 329.7 million shares valued at N352.72 million in 1,554 deals.

AIICO Insurance Plc recorded the highest transaction in the sub-sector, trading 189.89 million shares valued at N232.15 million in 458 deals, Mutual Benefit Assurance Plc followed with the exchange of 20.46 million shares valued at N10.23 million in 16 deals and Guaranty Trust Assurance Plc recorded 19.71 million shares valued at N41.36 million in 154 deals.