Nigerian Bourse Begins Week With Marginal 0.01% Loss

By Dipo Olowookere

It was bearish start of the week for the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited after it printed a marginal 0.01 per cent loss on Monday due to mild profit-taking.

It was observed that the 0.47 per cent decline recorded by the consumer goods index and the 0.06 per cent shrink posted by the insurance counter crumbled the Nigerian bourse during the session, as they overpowered the gains achieved by the other key sectors of Customs Street.

The banking space grew by 0.28 per cent, and the energy industry expanded by 0.06 per cent, while the commodity and the industrial goods indices closed flat.

At the close of business, the All-Share Index (ASI) decreased by 17.00 points to 166,112.50 points from last Friday’s 166,129.50 points and the market capitalisation contracted by N11 billion to N106.343 trillion from the previous session’s N106.354 trillion.

Industrial and Medical Gases gave up 9.95 per cent to sell for N34.85, Haldane McCall lost 9.88 per cent to close at N3.83, LivingTrust Mortgage Bank depreciated by 9.57 per cent to N4.44, Ikeja Hotel slipped by 7.28 per cent to N32.50, and Union Dicon dipped by 5.26 per cent to N9.00.

Conversely, Learn Africa gained 10.00 per cent to sell for N7.15, Champion Breweries appreciated by 10.00 per cent close at N19.25, NCR Nigeria also grew by 10.00 per cent to N141.40, Trippe G jumped by 9.94 per cent to N5.86, and Neimeth soared by 9.90 per cent to N11.10.

Business Post reports that 45 stocks ended on the gainers’ log during the session and 24 stocks finished on the losers’ chart, representing a positive market breadth index and strong investor sentiment.

Traders bought and sold 629.6 million shares worth N14.8 billion in 57,858 deals on Monday versus the 539.9 million shares valued at N16.7 billion transacted in 48,023 deals last Friday, showing a moderation in the value of trades by 11.38 per cent, and a spike in the volume of trades and the number of deals by 16.61 per cent and 20.48 per cent apiece.

Secure Electronic Technology led the activity log with 83.3 million equities valued at N98.2 million, Access Holdings traded 52.9 million units worth N1.2 billion, Jaiz Bank exchanged 39.7 million units for N339.1 million, Tantalizers sold 34.2 million units valued at N103.1 million, and Fidelity Bank transacted 23.7 million units worth N473.5 million.