The Nigerian Stock Exchange All Share Index finished today by 0.30% to 24,097.48 points, with market capitalization also adding N37.26 billion to close at N12.57 trillion.
However, trading activity was lower as evidenced by a 18.01% decline in volume of equities traded to 155.52 million units, while the value of trades also fell slightly by 6.60% to N2.60 billion. GUARANTY was the most traded by volume and value at 19.72 million units and N413.8 million.
Market sentiment, as measured by market breadth, was negative as 18 tickers declined, relative to 17 gainers. REDSTAREX and PZ were the top gainers of the day with 9.76% and 5.00% price appreciation, while OKOMUOIL and UNILEVER topped the losers with 9.95% and 9.78% depreciation in share value.
The sectoral performance was mixed as two of the five indices closed higher, while the other three closed the day in the red. The Banking Index (+0.92%) led the advancers, followed distantly by the industrial Index (+0.09%).
Conversely, the Insurance Index fell by -1.92%, while the Consumer and Oil & Gas Index fell by -0.52% and -0.02% respectively.
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FCMB (+4.09%), UBA (+2.48%) and ZENITHBANK (+1.87%) lift the lenders’ Index, while BUACEMENT (+2.51%) raised the industrial Index. MANSARD (-9.66%) and CUSTODIAN (-9.09%) drove the Insurance Index lower, UNILEVER (-9.78%) and GLAXOSMITH (-8.08%) accounted for depreciation in the Consumer Goods Index and MRS (-9.78%) depressed the Energy Index. Similarly, MTNN closed the day lower by -0.86%.
Top gainers
REDSTAREX up9.76% to close N3.26,AIRTELAFRI up 3.66% to close at N328.7,BUACEMENT up 2.51% to close at N40.9,ZENITHBANK up 1.87% to close N16.35,PZ up 5.00% to close N4.2
Top losers
OKOMUOIL down 9.95% to close at N69.7,UNILEVER down 9.78% to close at N12.45,MRS down 9.78% to close at N12.45,MTNN down 0.86% to close at N115,DANGCEM down 0.79% to close at N126
Outlook
Nigerian bourse finished on a bullish note triggered by AIRTELAFRI, BUACEMENT. Nairametrics envisages market volatility will increase in the coming days as earning results are scheduled to come out.