NSE index up 0.26% as investors gain N33.3bn

Equities trading remained upbeat today as the NSE All-Share Index (ASI) rose by 96.73 points or 0.26 per cent to settle at 37,059.21 points.
Market capitalisation also increased by N33.3 billion to close at N12.773 trillion, compared to N130.3 billion gained in the previous session when it closed at N12.740 trillion.
Caverton emerged the highest gainer with an appreciation of 9.52 per cent to close at N1.15 per share. United Capital trailed with an increase of 5 per cent to close at N3.15 per share, while Livestock Feeds grew by 4.21 per cent to close at 99 kobo per share.
With a positive performance in its half year results and a 25k interim dividend declaration, Access Bank expanded by 3.96 per cent to finish at N10.24 per share, while Neimeth Pharmaceuticals appreciated by 3.95 per cent to close at 79 kobo per share.
On the other side, Skye Bank led 21 losers with a loss of 7.46 per cent to close at 62 kobo per share, while 7up fell by 4.99 per cent to settle at N92.12 per share.
Total recorded a drop of 4.81per cent to close at N228 per share, Mansard depreciated 4.62 percent to close at N1.86 per share and Flour Mills of Nigeria declined by 4.46 per cent to close at N28.52 per share.
The volume and value of shares traded by investors finished higher with 264.3million shares exchanged in 3,849 deals valued at N5.5billion, compared with a total of 244.3million shares worth N3.7 billion traded Tuesday, in 3,829 deals
Topping the activity chart on Wednesday was Zenith Bank with the sale of 57.2 million units worth N1.3 billion. UBA came next with 40.6 million shares valued at N378.9 million, while GTBank traded 28.5 million shares worth N1.2 billion. Access Bank followed with the sale of 24.6 million shares worth N243.3 million, and FBN Holdings sold 12.1 million shares valued at N72.5 million.