The increase in equity trading activities recorded from Tuesday this week, continued on Friday, with major indices closing positive.
At the close of trading, the Nigerian Stock Exchange’s All-Share Index rose by 0.3 per cent or 61.61 basis points from 22,049.30 to 22,110.91 points.
Similarly, the market capitalisation of the listed equities increased by 0.3 per cent or N20bn to N7.059tn up from N7.039tn recorded the preceding day.
The NSE-30 Index rose by 0.4 per cent or 3.69 basis points from 1,027.08 to 1,030.77 points, while the NSE Banking Index rose by 0.1 per cent or 0.26 basis points to close at 340.06 points.
The Consumer Goods Index rose the highest, by 1.04 per cent or 18.82 basis points, to 1,827.91 points up from 1,809.09 recorded the previous day.
Market analysts attributed this to renewed interest by some investors in the market, who were taking advantage of the low prices of shares.
According to them, this was evident in the gains recorded in the share prices of some highly capitalised stocks since Tuesday.
Nestle Nigeria Plc recorded the highest price appreciation of the day, rising by five per cent or N23.71 to close at N498.04 per share.
Dangote Flour Mills Plc gained 4.97 per cent or 31 kobo to close at N6.55 per share.
Custodian Insurance Plc and Ikeja Hotel Plc rose by 4.7 per cent and 4.5 per cent to close at N1.55 and N1.17 per share respectively.
Cutix Plc and Livestock Feeds Plc also gained 4.3 and 4.2 per cent to close at N1.45 and N1.23 per share respectively.
RT Briscoe Plc, on the other hand, lost the highest price for the day, shedding five per cent or 10 kobo to close at N1.90 per share.
BOC Gases Plc also lost five per cent or 30 kobo to close at N5.70 per share.
Arbico Plc and Roads Plc lost 4.9 per cent each to close at N22.30 and N8.26 per share in that order.
In all, investors staked N1.485bn on 161.58 million shares, in 3,315 deals, compared to 159.16 million shares, valued at N1.504bn exchanged the preceding day, in 3,448 transactions.
Source: Punch/Udeme Ekwere
