By Dipo Olowookere
Investments in equities on the floor of the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited stood at N12.3 billion, lower than the N12.6 billion recorded in the previous week.
This was mainly affected by the lower trading volume recorded in the five-day trading sessions as investors traded 866.5 million shares in 17,291 deals in contrast to the 1.6 billion shares traded in 18,622 deals a week earlier.
Like in the preceding weeks, financial stocks dominated the transactions, accounting for 445.3 million units worth N3.7 billion traded in 7,560 deals and contributing 51.39 per cent and 29.99 per cent to the total trading volume and value respectively.
It was trailed by consumer goods equities with a turnover of 119.7 million units valued at N5.0 billion exchanged in 3,424 deals, while ICT stocks recorded 87.1 million shares worth N1.9 billion in 924 deals.
In the week, Honeywell Flour Mills, Transcorp and GTCO were the most active stocks with 203.8 million shares worth N2.0 billion traded in 2,515 deals, contributing 23.51 per cent and 16.02 per cent to the total trading volume and value respectively.
Honeywell Flour was the biggest price gainer last week, gaining 46.34 per cent to sell at N3.00 and was followed by Pharma Deko, which gained 44.54 per cent to trade at N1.72.
Courtville appreciated by 29.17 per cent to 31 kobo, Neimeth rose by 25.00 per cent to N2.05, while BOC Gases increased by 20.65 per cent to N11.10.
On the opposition side, Meyer was the heaviest price loser, declining by 66.10 per cent to 20 kobo and was trailed by SCOA Nigeria, which fell by 18.46 per cent to N1.59.
Consolidated Hallmark Insurance dropped 13.21 per cent to 46 kobo, Nestle Nigeria fell by 9.09 per cent to N1,400.00, while FTN Cocoa depreciated by 9.09 per cent to 40 kobo.
At the close of transactions for the week, there were 36 price gainers, higher than 29 risers of the earlier week. There were 33 price decliners, lower than 36 laggards of the preceding week, while 87 stocks closed flat, lower than the 98 shares of the previous week.
In terms of the general performance of the market in the week, the All-Share Index (ASI) and market capitalisation depreciated by 0.10 per cent to 39,483.08 points and N20.571 trillion respectively.
Similarly, all other indices finished lower with the exception of the premium, AFR Div Yield, industrial goods and sovereign bond indices which appreciated by 2.28 per cent, 0.76 per cent, 1.85 per cent and 0.02 per cent respectively, while the ASeM and growth indices closed flat.
Adedapo Adesanya