Nigerian bourse down 0.86 per cent after Christmas break

Trading activities on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) resumed on Thursday on a downward trend after a two-day holiday to observe Christmas and Boxing Day celebrations as crucial market indices declined by 0.86 per cent.

Specifically, the All-Share Index lost 274.38 points or 0.86 per cent to close at 31,692.63 compared with 31,967.01 on Monday, also the market capitalisation which opened at N11.676 trillion shed N100 billion or 0.86 per cent to close at N11.576 trillion.

Dangote Cement recorded the highest loss to lead the laggards’ table, dropping by N6.30 to close at N187.70 per share as Total Nigeria trailed with a loss of N4 to close at N196, while UACN declined by N1.20 to close at N10.80 per share.

Flour Mills was down by 45k to close at N21.10, while FBN Holdings depreciated by 40k to close at N8.20 per share.

On the hand, Forte Oil led the gainers’ table with N3.10 to close at N34.35 per share as it was followed by Conoil Plc with a gain of N2.10 to close at N23.10, while Eterna Oil gained 40k to close at N5 per share.

Nigerian Breweries also appreciated by 40k to close at N82.50, while Air Service added 35k to close at N7.25 per share.

MedView Air was the most active stock, exchanging 146.94 million shares worth N293.89 million.It was trailed by NEM Insurance with an account of 45.99 million shares valued at N135.56 million, while Transcorp traded 37.50 million shared worth N48.95 million.

Fidelity Bank sold 30.72 million shares valued at N61.08 million, while Access Bank exchanged 30.41 million shares worth N212.97 million.

In all, the volume of shares transacted closed lower as investors bought and sold 452.26 million shares valued at N2.61 billion on 3,520 deals.

This was in contrast with a turnover of 715.04 million shares worth N5.19 billion traded in 2,789 deals on Monday.