The bears, yesterday strengthened hold on the equity sector of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), as major highly capitalised stocks depreciated in price, causing the market capitalisation to slide further by N80 billion.

Yesterday, the market capitalisation shed N80 billion or 0.84 per cent to close at N9.415 trillion in contrast with N9.495 trillion achieved on Friday due to sell pressure.

Also, the All-Share Index lost 231.76 points or 0.84 per cent to close at 27,385.69 against 27,617.45 posted on Friday.
Major blue chip equities recorded price depreciation with Forte Oil leading the losers’ chart with N13.77 to close at N261.73 per share.

Seplat trailed with a loss of N5.10 to close at N217, while Mobil shed N3.99 to close at N126.01 per share. Guinness dipped N2 to close at N121 and Unilever lost N1.84 to close at N38.06 per share.

Conversely, Total topped the gainers’ table, gaining N4.07 to close at N145.07 per share. Beta Glass garnered N2.42 to close at N50.93, while Glaxo Smithkline improved by 93k to close at N38 per share.
National Salt Company of Nigeria rose by 23k to close at N7.23 and Oando appreciated by 23k to close at N5.93 per share.

Investors’ staked N3.01 billion on 319.78 million shares traded in 3,098 deals compared with 338.19 million shares worth N2.65 billion exchanged in 2,700 deals on Friday.
On the activity chart, FBN Holdings lift the turnover volume with 78.49 million shares valued N429.49 million in 36 deals.

Diamond Bank accounted for 42.72 million shares worth N97.26 million achieved in 36 deals, while Access Bank sold 37.26 million shares worth N176.83 million traded in 130 deals.

UBA traded 28.12 million shares valued N104.73 exchanged in 160 deals and Zenith Bank transacted 23.83 million shares worth N369.53 million in 212 deals.