Nigerian Shares Attract N38.445bn from Investors, Traders in One Week

By Dipo Olowookere

The local stock market opened last week for four days as result of the public holiday observed in Nigeria last Monday to celebrate Eid-el-Maulud.

This slightly affected the level of activity at the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited during the four-day trading week.

A total of 1.860 billion shares worth N38.445 billion exchanged hands in 40,228 deals in the period under review compared with the 2.584 billion shares valued at N51.205 billion traded in 50,615 deals a week earlier.

Japaul, FBN Holdings and UAC Nigeria were the busiest equities on the NGX in the week, accounting for 728.034 million units valued at N10.029 billion transacted in 4,374 deals, contributing 39.14 per cent and 26.09 per cent to the total trading volume and value, respectively.

In terms of sectors, the financial services counter topped the activity chart with 820.815 million stocks worth N16.149 billion in 16,627 deals, contributing 44.13 per cent and 42.01 per cent to the total trading volume and value apiece, the energy index followed with 443.711 million equities worth N5.055 billion in 5,319 deals equities, and the conglomerates industry traded 183.729 million shares worth N2.971 billion in 2,510 deals.

Forty-one stocks appreciated last week compared with 52 equities of the previous week, 40 equities depreciated versus 31 equities a week earlier, and 70 shares remained unchanged versus 68 shares of the preceding were.

Caverton was the best-performing stock of the week with a price appreciation of 45.28 per cent to settle at N3.69, Fidelity Bank rose by 24.20 per cent to N13.60, Fidson appreciated by 21.76 per cent to N15.95, Vitafoam gained 21.55 per cent to quote at N22.00, and Meyer jumped by 20.93 per cent to N7.05.

Conversely, Northern Nigerian Flour Mills was the worst-performing equity after an 18.97 per cent loss to trade at N35.25, Mecure Industrial shrank by 18.18 per cent to close at N7.65, Tantalizers declined by 14.08 per cent to settle at 61 Kobo, RT Briscoe depleted by 12.88 per cent to N3.18, and Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund slumped by 9.93 per cent to N101.60.

In the week, the All-Share Index (ASI) and the market capitalisation appreciated by 0.81 per cent to 98,247.99 points and N56.457 trillion, respectively.

Also, all other indices finished higher apart from NGX MERI Value, consumer goods, industrial goods, growth and sovereign bond indices, which depreciated 0.34 per cent, 0.77 per cent, 0.13 per cent, 10.85 per cent, and 3.59 per cent, respectively, as the ASeM index remained unchanged.