By Dipo Olowookere
The appetite for stocks waned last week on the floor of the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited, leading to a lower trading volume as investors reconsider their exposure to high-risk investments.
A total of 705.6 million shares worth N12.850 billion exchanged hands in 22,124 deals in the week compared with the 1.546 billion shares worth N16.289 billion transacted a week earlier in 23,873 deals.
It was observed that GTCO, Zenith Bank and FBN Holdings were the most attractive equities during the week, pulling 173.852 million units valued at N3.073 billion in 4,324 deals, accounting for 24.64 per cent and 23.91 per cent of the total trading volume and value respectively.
A further breakdown indicated that financial stocks dominated the activity chart with the sale of 442.525 million units valued at N4.345 billion in 9,995 deals, contributing 62.71 per cent and 33.81 per cent to the total trading volume and value respectively.
Consumer goods equities followed with 82.126 million units worth N2.176 billion in 3,875 deals, while conglomerates shares traded 51.083 million units worth N242.084 million in 694 deals.
Amid the weak trading activity, the All-Share Index (ASI) and the market capitalisation appreciated by 0.70 per cent and 0.72 per cent respectively to 50,722.33 points and N27.358 trillion.
Similarly, all other indices finished higher with the exception of the main board, insurance, industrial goods and sovereign bond indices, which depreciated by 1.16 per cent, 0.37 per cent, 5.76 per cent and 0.07 per cent while ASeM index closed flat.
Japaul recorded the biggest price increase as its value rose by 47.83 per cent to 34 Kobo, Honeywell Flour leapt by 36.10 per cent to N2.79, PZ Cussons grew by 20.59 per cent to N10.25, Courteville expanded by 17.50 per cent to 47 Kobo, while Caverton improved by 17.00 per cent to N1.17.
However, McNichols was the heaviest price loser, declining by 18.68 per cent to 74 Kobo, Learn Africa lost 15.38 per cent to trade at N2.20, BUA Cement went down by 15.15 per cent to N58.80, University Press fell by 9.79 per cent to N2.12, while Neimeth depreciated by 9.68 per cent to N1.40.
In the five-day trading week, a total of 41 stocks gained points, higher than 11 stocks of the previous week, while 22 stocks lost weight, lower than 53 stocks of the preceding week, with 93 stocks closing flat, higher than 92 stocks of the earlier week.
Adedapo Adesanya