The Nigerian equities market ended Thursday’s trading with a slight rebound as the benchmark index barely managed to gain a meager 3bps.
Today’s activities brought to an end transactions for the first half of the year, with the All-Share Index expanding by 0.03% or 15.11 basis points to close at 51,817.59 points from 51,802.48 basis points.
In the same vein, the market capitalization gained 0.03% or ₦8bn to close at ₦27.935trn from ₦27.927trn.
The market’s performance was driven primarily by investor interest in UNION BANK NIG.PLC (+4.24%), FBN HOLDINGS PLC (+1.75%) and SEPLAT ENERGY PLC (+0.78%).
The total volume of shares traded stood at 46.4% to 223.11 million units, valued at ₦3.87bn were exchanged in 4,213 deals.
FBN HOLDINGS PLC was the most traded stock by volume at 36.63 million units, while MTN NIGERIA COMMUNICATIONS PLC was the most traded stock by value at ₦1.37 billion.
As measured by market breadth, market sentiment was positive with 20 stocks gaining, while 18 stocks declined.
UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC, MCNICHOLS PLC and CORNERSTONE INSURANCE PLC topped the gainers’ list by 0.23k or 9.79%; 0.18k or 9.73% and 0.06k or 9.09%.
Conversely, P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC (-₦1.05k or -9.86%), TRIPPLE GEE AND COMPANY PLC (0.08k or -8.42%) and PRESTIGE ASSURANCE PLC (-0.03k or -7.50%) recorded the most significant losses of the day.
Performance across sectors was broadly positive, as the Oil & Gas (+0.4%), Insurance (+0.4%), and Banking (+0.3%) indices closed higher, while the Consumer Goods (-0.2%) and Industrial goods (-0.2%) indices declined.
Hauwa Abu
