By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Transactions on the trading floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) closed on Monday in the red zone, Business Post reports.
The stock market lost ground by 0.65 percent with the market breadth also closing negative after 18 stocks appreciated and 25 equities depreciated.
The All-Share Index (ASI) shed 247.64 points to settle at 37,950.96 points, trimming the year-to-date gain to 41.21 percent.
In addition, the market capitalisation weakened by N85.4 billion on Monday to finish at N13.1 trillion.
Monday’s losers’ chart was led by Total Plc, which declined by N12.45k to settle at N236.55k per share.
It was followed by Dangote Cement, which shed N5 to close at N235 per share, and Guinness Nigeria deflated by N1.50k to end at N90 per share.
Furthermore, Flour Mills of Nigeria lost N1.40 to finish at N27.60k per share, while CAP Plc slumped by 59k to wrap the day at N34.40k per share.
On the flip side, Seplat emerged the biggest gainer at the stock market after appreciating by N9.90k to end at N480 per share.
Also, Nigerian Breweries rose by N2 to close at N193 per share, while Ecobank progressed by 42k to settle at N18 per share.
Unilever chalked up 25k to finish at N45.50k per share, while Union Bank of Nigeria gained 23k to close at N6 per share.
At the close of trading activities a total of 316 million shares were exchanged by investors in 4,113 deals valued at N4.2 billion.
A breakdown of trades recorded by individual stocks showed that Access Bank came top with 169.7 million shares worth N1.8 billion transacted.
GTBank exchanged 26.2 million shares worth N1 billion, while FBN Holdings traded 17.8 million units valued at N110 million.
Fidelity Bank sold 13 million shares worth N17 million, and Zenith Bank traded 10.5 million shares at N248.3 million.
Dipo Olowookere 
Adedapo Adesanya