Equities market depreciates by 0.10%

The equities market of the Nigerian Exchange Limited on Thursday closed in the red as losses in Geregu Power Plc and 19 others dragged the All-Share Index lower by 0.10 per cent.

The All Share Index (ASI) decreased by 46.32 basis points or 0.10 per cent to close at 44,236.70 basis points. Similarly, market capitalisation lost N25 billion to close at N24.095 trillion.

As measured by market breadth, market sentiment was negative as 20 stocks lost relative to 12 gainers.

UACN Property Development Company (UPDC) recorded the highest price gain of 9.09 per cent to close at N12.45 per share. Trans-Nationwide Express followed with a gain of 8.82 per cent to close at 74 kobo, while Champion Breweries rose 7.81 per cent to close at N3.45 per share.

Japaul Gold & Ventures went up by 7.69 per cent to close at 28 kobo, while Cutix  appreciated by 4.88 per cent to close at N2.15 per share.

On the other hand, Prestige Assurance led the losers’ chart by 9.80 per cent to close at 46 kobo, per share. Caverton Offshore Support Group followed with a decline of 9.38 per cent each to close at 87 kobo, while SUNU Assurance lost 8.57 per cent to close at 32 kobo per share.

Unilever Nigeria lost 8.29 per cent to close at N9.95, while Multiverse Mining and Exploration shed 8.23 per cent to close at N4.24 per share.

The total volume traded increased by 38.5 per cent to 215.154 million units, valued at N1.906 billion, and exchanged in 3,389 deals. Transactions in the shares of Access Holdings topped the activity chart with 112.334 million shares valued at N892.561 million.

Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp) followed with 16.068 million shares worth N16.713 million, while Sterling Bank  traded 12.257 million shares valued at N16.641 million.

Fidelity Bank traded 9.291 million shares valued at N38.190 million, while Zenith Bank transacted 7.191 million shares worth N142.829 million.