Stock Market Appreciates by N314bn on Buy Interest in Oando, Others

Kayode Tokede

The Nigerian equities market yesterday reversed prior day’s profit-taking as the overall capitalisation appreciated  by N314 billion supported by investors buying interest in Oando Plc  and 39 others.

The Nigerian Exchange Limited All Share Index (NGX ASI) gained by 501.14 basis points or 0.46 per cent to close at 108,762.61 basis points.

Accordingly, the Month-to-Date and Year-to-Date returns improved to +2.8per cent and +5.7per cent, respectively.

Also, market capitalisation rose by N314 billion to close at N68.357 trillion.

Analysing by sectors, the NGX Consumer Goods Index appreciated by 1.7 per cent, NGX Insurance gained 0.9per cent and NGX Banking Index advanced by 0.2per cent, while the NGX Industrial Goods index dipped by 0.6per cent and NGX Oil & Gas dropped by 0.2 per cent.

However, investors’ sentiment, as measured by market breadth, improved as 40 stocks advanced, while 24 declined.

Chellaram and Oando recorded the highest price gain of 10 per cent each to close at N11.44 and N49.50 respectively, while Transcorp followed with a gain of 9.99 per cent to close at N46.25, per share.

Beta Glass rose by 9.96 per cent to close at N194.30, while Caverton Offshore Support Group up by 9.85 per cent to close at N3.68, per share.

On the other hand, Haldane McCall led the losers’ chart by 9.85 per cent to close at N4.21, per share. Academy Press followed with a decline of 7.33 per cent to close at N4.30, while UPDC declined by 6.25 per cent to close at N3.00, per share.

ABC Transports depreciated by 6.13 per cent to close at N2.91, while NPF Microfinance Bank declined by 5.14 per cent to close at N2.03, per share.

Meanwhile, the total volume traded rose by 20 per cent to 498.480 million units, valued at N10.782 billion, and exchanged in 14,916 deals.

Transactions in the shares of Tantalizer topped the activity chart with 57.803 million shares valued at N131.323 million.

Access Holdings followed with 36.792 million shares worth N784.432 million, while Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) traded 31.844 million shares valued at N2.191 billion.

Fidelity Bank traded 23.398 million shares valued at N470.486 million, while Nigerian Breweries sold 21.033 million shares worth N1.080 billion.

On market outlook, Afrinvest Limited said, “we expect the bourse to sustain the positive momentum, due to Q1 earnings-driven improved valuation of major tickers and muted activities in the primary market segment for fixed income papers this week.”