Exchange: Market Capitalisation Rises By N2bn

Equity transactions on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) closed for the week on a bright note with the market capitalisation appreciating marginally by N2 billion.

Our correspodent reports that the market capitalisation closed on Friday at N7.809 trillion against N7.807 trillion recorded on Thursday.

The All-share Index also rose slightly by 0.02 per cent or 5.5 points to close at 24,444.28 from the opening index of 24,438.78.

At the end of transactions, 314.53 million shares valued at N2.86 billion were traded by investors in 5,077 deals.

This was comparable to 253.53 million shares valued at N3.03 billion traded in 6,495 deals on Thursday.

The Banking sub-sector was still the most active with 188.11 million shares worth N1.38 billion exchanged in 2,868 deals.

Shares of UBA Plc and Bank PHB boosted activities in the sub-sector.

Investors in UBA staked N473.85 million on 56.22 million shares in 208 deals while those of Bank PHB traded 31.31 million shares valued at N55.56 million in 41 deals.

The Hotel and Tourism sub-sector followed with 38.60 million shares worth N110.96 million traded in 32 deals.

Transactions in the sub-sector were driven by the shares of Capital Hotel in which investors bought 35.09 million shares valued at N104.92 million in 12 deals.

The Insurance sub-sector came third with 24.48 million shares worth N16.21 million traded in 204 deals.

Dangote Cement led the price gainers’ table, appreciating by N2.25 to close at N122.50 per share.

Nigerian Bottling Company gained N1.73 to close at N36.48 per share while Nigerian Breweries appreciated by N1.71 to close at N76.87 per share

Lafarge WAPCO topped the price losers’ chart, depreciating by N1.91 to close at N39.03 per share.

African Petroleum dipped by N1.08 to close at N21.20 while Dangote Flour shed 77k to close at N16.01 per share