For the first time in several years, total equity transaction value dropped significantly from million mark, as recorded at the close of transactions yesterday.

Specifically, investors recorded 98.9 million shares valued at N700 million in 2,307 deals, down from a total of 252.1 million units worth N3.8 billion achieved on Thursday, December 31,2015, which is the last trading day in 2015.

Also, virtually all the blue chip companies depreciated in price yesterday, causing market capitalisation to slide by N93 billion.

Precisely, the All-share index dropped by 269.93 points or 0.9 per cent from 28,642.25 recorded as at Thursday, December 31, 2015 which was the last trading day for 2015 to 28,370.32 while market capitalization dropped by N93 billion or 0.9 per cent from N9,850 trillion to N9,757 trillion

18 stocks depreciated in price, led by Skye bank with 5.06 per cent to close at N1.50 per share. Nigerian Breweries, GlaxoSmithKline, TRANSCOHOT lost 5.00 per cent to close at N129.20,N32.49 and N5.51 per share respectively.
Eterna oil shed 4.88 per cent to close at N1.95 per share. FBN Holdings followed with 4.87 per cent to close N4.88 per share.

Nigerian Aviation Handling Company and Champion Breweries dropped 3.61 and 3.22 per cent to close at N3.61 and N3.22 per share.

TigerBrands dropped 4.42 per cent close at N1.08 per share. Ashaka Cement shed 4.00 per cent to close at N24.00 per share.

First City Monument Bank shed 3.55 per cent to close at N1.63 per share. Nestle dropped 3.49 per cent to close at N830.00 per share.

Fidelity Bank and TransNational Corporation lost 3.33 and 2.63 per cent to close at N1.45 and N1.48 per share.
National Salt Company of Nigeria also dropped 2.10 per cent to close at N7.00 per share.

On the other hand, Learn Africa topped the gainers chart with 8.45 per cent to close at N0.77 per share while Vono followed with 4.94 per cent to close at N0.85 per share.

Okomuoil added 4.88 per cent to close at N31.78 per share. Trans National Express gained 4.42 per cent to close at N1.18 per share. AIICO gained 4.40 per cent to close at N0.95 per share.

Cement Company of Northern Nigeria and United Capital added 3.32 and 3.05 per cent to close at N9.66 and N1.35 per share.

Niger insurance garnered 2.00 per cent to close at N0.51 per share. Zenith Bank added 1.78 per cent to close at N14.30 per share. Oando also gained 1.69 per cent to close at N6.00 per share.

On the activity chart, the banking subsector maintained its dominance in volume terms with 30 million shares worth N201.4 million while the conglomerates followed with 8.6 million units worth N15.7 million.

The insurance subsector ranked third with 5.3 million units worth N4.6 million in 54 deals.

The banking subsector was boosted by activities in the shares of Access bank with 8 million shares worth N38.5 million followed by United Bank for Africa with 7 million units worth N24 million.

The conglomerates was buoyed by activities in the shares of Transnational Corporation with 8 million units valued at N12.7 million.