Transactions on the Nigerian Stock Exchange sustained sliding profile yesterday, even as the bears continue to strengthen its hold on equities, causing investors’ wealth to depreciate significantly by N410 billion in three trading days.

Specifically, market capitalisation dropped by N410 trillion or 4.4 per cent, from N9,757 recorded when the market re-opened for the year on Monday to N9,347 trillion yesterday, while the All-share index plunged by 1189.56 points from 28,370.32 to 27,180.76.

Yesterday, 21 stocks depreciated in price, as Dangote Cement emerged the day’s highest price loser with 9.75 per cent to close at N153.43 per share. UHomes followed with 9.46 per cent to close at N4.50 per share.

Skye Bank and Nigerian Breweries shed 9.33 and 5.49 per cent to close at N1.36 and N116.00 per share.

Union Bank dropped 4.93 per cent to close at N6.56 per share. Eterna oil also lost 4.84 per cent to close at N1.77 per share. TigerBrands shed 4.63 per cent to close at N1.03 per share.

Other losers of yesterday’s trading include; Fidelity Bank, TransNational Corporation and AIICO, shedding 4.61, 4.61 and 4.17 per cent to close at N1.45,N1.45 and 0.92 per share.

Livestock lost 3.60 per cent to close at N1.34 per share. African Prudential dropped 3.46 per cent to close at N2.51 per share.

PZ Cussons and Access Bank lost 2.91 and 2.63 per cent to close at N23.71 and 4.82 per share.

United Bank for Africa also dropped 2.37 per cent to close at N3.30 per share.
On the other hand, 14 stocks constituted the losers chart led by West African Portland Company with 9,36 per cent to close at N105.00 per share.

Berger and Nigerian Aviation Handling Company followed with 5.00 per cent to close at N105.00 and N10.50 per share respectively.

Fidson added 4.86 per cent to close at N2.59 per share. Portland Paints and Ikeja Hotel gained 4.79 per cent to close at N3.94 and 3.28 per share respectively.
Vono added 4.71 per cent to close at N0.89 per share. Learn Africa gained 4.05 per cent to close at N0.77 per share.

NPF Micro Finance Bank shed 3.81 per cent to close at N1.09 per share. Seven Up also garnered 3.79 per cent to close at N188.89 per share.

Further analysis of yesterday’s transactions showed that the banking sub-sector remains the most active stock in volume terms with 67 million shares worth N450 million followed by the insurance sub-sector with 16 million units valued at N16.2 million.

Trading in the shares of Access bank and Guaranty Trust Bank buoyed activities in the banking sub-sector with 21 million shares and 14.6 million units worth N104 million and N263 million in 158 and 322 deals.

The insurance sub se tor was strengthened by activities in the shares of NEM insurance with 8.8 million shares worth N5.8 million while Niger insurance followed with 6.5 million units worth N3.2 million.

On the whole, investors exchanged 202 million shares worth N1.4 billion in 3,012 deals.