Investors stake N29b in equities as May & Baker leads gainers

May & Baker Plc traded higher at the end of last week’s transactions on the trading floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange with 58.66 per cent to close at N2.84 per share.

Following May & Baker last week was Cadbury, adding 43.89 per cent to close at N15.67 per share.

Forte Oil added 39.78 per cent to close at N64.30 per share. Sterling Bank gained 34.18 per cent to close at N1.06 per share. Seplat Petroleum garnered 33.87 per cent to close at N468.56 per share.

International Breweries added 33.24 per cent to close at N32.23 per share. Honeywell flourmills gained 32.00 per cent to close at N1.98 per share. Dangote Sugar Refinery appreciated by 31.01 per cent to close at N9.76 per share.

Champion Breweries gained 30.89 per cent to close at N3.39 per share. Diamond Bank also added 29.73 per cent to close at N1.44 per share.

Consequently, a total turnover of 3.100 billion shares worth N29.180 billion were recorded in 33,677deals by investors on the Exchange last week, in contrast to a total of 2.319 billion shares valued at N23.813 billion that changed hands in 22,310 deals during the preceding week.

The financial services industry (measured by volume) led the activity chart with 2.577 billion shares valued at N16.524 billion traded in 19,831 deals; thus contributing 83.15 per cent to the total equity turnover volume.

The conglomerates industry followed with 173.544 million shares worth N985.456 million in 1,620 deals. The third place was occupied by consumer goods industry with a turnover of 161.347 million shares worth N3.540 billion in 5,275 deals.

Trading in the top three equities namely – FBN Holding Plc, Diamond Bank Plc, and Access Bank Plc (measured by volume) accounted for 1.084 billion shares worth N6.522 billion in 7,095 deals, contributing 34.98 per cent to the total equity turnover volume.

Also traded during the week were a total of 40.317 million units of Exchange Traded Products (ETPs) valued at N178.841 million executed in 12 deals compared with a total of 52 units valued at N13,802.70 transacted last week in six deals.

A total of 10,860 units of Federal Government Bonds valued at N10.196 million were traded this week in 10 deals, compared with a total of 3,786 units valued at N3.806 million transacted last week in four deals.

The NSE All-Share Index and Market Capitalisation appreciated by 6.07 per cent to close the week at 33,276.68 and N11.504 trillion respectively.

Similarly, all other Indices finished higher during the week with the exception the NSE ASeM Index that depreciated by 1.74 per cent while the NSE Insurance Index closed flat.