Guardian

EQUITY transactions on the Nigerian Stock Exchange continued on an upbeat  note yesterday, as more blue chip companies joined the league of gainers, causing market capitalisation to increase further by N211 billion.

Specifically, the value of equities shut up by 1.75 per cent to N12.295 trillion from N12.084 trillion recorded the previous day,  while the NSE All-Share Index grew by 663.08 basis points to 38486.07 points from 37822.99 traded the previous day.

Investors exchanged 359.134 million shares worth N4.746 billion in 6743 deals against 262.674 million shares valued at N2.562 billion in 6020 deals recorded the preceding day.

An analysis of the investment showed that Zenith Bank recorded the highest volume of shares for the day, trading 46.139 million shares worth N1.030 billion, Access Bank Plc followed with account of  25.866 million shares valued at N295.625 million while  UBA Plc traded 22.550 million shares worth N191.163 million. Unity Bank came fourth with a total of 19.293 million shares valued at N12.454 million.

Further analysis of the trading indicated that Nestle Nigeria Plc led gainers table, appreciating by N60.00 to close at N1070, Dangote Cement trailed with a gain of N4.54 kobo to close at N196.26 kobo, while Guinness Nigeria Plc gained N4.00 to close at N280.00.  Flour Mills Nigeria Plc and Nigerian Breweries improved by N3.60 kobo and N2.20 kobo respectively to close at N92.00 and N177.20 kobo.

Total and GlaxoSmith Kline added 2.00 kobo to close at N160.00 and N60.00 per share respectively.    Union Bank  gained   1.04 per cent to close at N13.50.

Cadbury also garnered 0.57 to close at N55.99 per share.

Conversely, Okomu Oil Palm topped losers chart, shedding N1.11 kobo to close at N41.99 kobo, Portland Paint followed with a loss of N0.59 kobo to close at N5.31 kobo while UACN declined by N0.39 kobo to close at N57.41 kobo.

Other stocks that recorded price depreciation were McNichols and John Holt which loss  N0.20 kobo  and N0.16 kobo respectively  to close at N1.84 kobo and N1.44 kobo.