By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Transactions resumed on the trading floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Monday on a bearish note as investors embarked on profit taking.
At the close of business today, Nigerian shares went down by 0.31 percent, with the year-to-date return closing at 38.74 percent.
The All-Share Index (ASI) depreciated by 115.13 points to settle at 37,250.78 points, while the market capitalisation declined by N36 billion to close at N12.97 trillion.
The market breadth closed negative after the stock market recorded 18 price gainers and 24 price losers.
The losers’ chart was topped by Mobil, which depreciated by N2.10k to settle at N167.90k per share, and Guinness Nigeria, which went down by N2 to close at N100 per share.
Stanbic IBTC lost N1.99k to finish at N40 per share, Flour Mills of Nigeria declined by N1 to end at N34 per share, while Unilever shed 86k to wrap the day at N40.4k per share.
On the flip side, Nigerian Breweries appreciated by N1.10k to close at N131.17k per share, while Forte Oil rose by N1 to end at N41 per share.
PZ Cussons went up 87k to finish at N23.87k per share, Dangote Sugar increased by 57k to close at N17.81k per share, and NASCON grew by 50k to settle at N15.60k per share.
Business Post reports that the volume of equities transacted today increase boosted by WAPIC stocks, but the value depreciated.
A total of 942.7 million shares worth N4.8 billion exchanged hands on Monday in 3,868 deals in contrast to 870.6 million units traded on Friday in 3,126 deals valued at N5 billion.
WAPIC sold a total of 650.5 million shares worth N325.3 million to emerge investors’ darling today.
It was followed by Tantalizers, which traded 43.8 million shares valued at N22 million, and Fidelity Bank transacted 31.9 million shares worth N54.3 million.
Zenith Bank exchanged 25.6 million at N636.7 million, while Transcorp transacted 19.9 million shares valued at N26.2 million.
