By Dipo Olowookere
Shares of FBN Holdings, GTBank and Zenith Bank enticed investors at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) last week.
According to data obtained by Business Post, stock market investors could not take their eyes off the banking equities, especially because of the movements they recorded during the five-day trading week.
As a result, the three stocks accounted for 46.59 percent and 53.81 percent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively by trading 774.3 million units valued at N9.8 billion in 7,516 deals.
During the week, investors traded a total of 1.7 billion shares worth N18.2 billion in 28,791 deals in contrast to 1.0 billion shares worth N9.9 billion transacted the previous week in 17,023 deals.
A breakdown showed that the financial services industry led the activity chart with 1.4 billion shares valued at N11.8 billion traded in 17,117 deals, contributing 83.35 percent and 64.89 percent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.
The services sector followed with 53.6 million shares worth N128.1 million in 1,003 deals, while the third place was occupied by the consumer goods industry, with a turnover of 53.4 million shares worth N2.8 billion in 3,607 deals.
In the week, the All-Share Index (ASI) and market capitalisation both appreciated by 4.45 percent to close the week at 24,045.40 points and N12.531 trillion respectively.
All other indices finished higher with the exception of ASeM, which depreciated by 0.18 percent.
The consumer goods index rose by 8.45 percent, banking index grew by 3.99 percent, the oil/gas index expanded by 2.83 percent, the insurance index appreciated by 2.76 percent, while the industrial goods index improved by 2.20 percent.
A total of 39 equities appreciated in price during the week, higher than 28 equities in the previous week. Also, 22 equities depreciated in price, higher than 20 equities in the previous week, while 102 equities remained unchanged, lower than 115 equities recorded in the preceding week.
On the price movement chart, Ardova closed the week as the best performing stock with a price appreciation of 32.47 percent to settle at N15.30 per share.
Wapic Insurance gained 26.92 percent to close at 33 kobo per unit, Nigerian Breweries improved by 25.00 percent to finish at N37.50 per share, Consolidated Hallmark Insurance garnered 20.00 percent to end at 36 kobo per unit, while Prestige Assurance chalked up 20.00 percent to settle at 69 kobo per share.
The worst performing stock for the week was Linkage Assurance, which depreciated week-on-week by 16.98 percent to sell at 44 kobo per unit.
C&I Leasing lost 10.00 percent to trade at N4.50 per share, McNichols fell by 8.70 percent to sell at 42 kobo per share, NEM Insurance declined by 8.09 percent to settle at N2.16 per unit, while Lafarge Africa deflated by 6.78 percent to N11 per share.
Adedapo Adesanya