The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited began the new week on a positive note after it closed higher by 0.65 per cent on Monday to move the key performance indicator, the All-Share Index (ASI), closer to 150,000-point psychology mark.
Yesterday, the index was up by 963.17 points to 149,940.81 points from 148,977.64 points and the market capitalisation appreciated by N611 billion to N95.172 trillion from N94.561 trillion.
Apart from the insurance counter, which succumbed to profit-taking with a 0.70 per cent loss, every other sector closed higher on the first trading session of this week.
The industrial goods space grew by 2.34 per cent, the energy space appreciated by 0.65 per cent, the banking industry rose by 0.48 per cent, the commodity sector improved by 0.28 per cent, and the consumer goods sector expanded by 0.08 per cent.
It was observed that despite the gains recorded by the bourse, investor sentiment was weak as there were 30 price gainers and 33 price losers, indicating a negative market breadth index.
Union Dicon jumped by 10.00 per cent to N8.80, Eunisell soared by 9.92 per cent to N53.20, Sovereign Trust Insurance advanced by 6.44 per cent to N3.80, BUA Cement strengthened by 6.25 per cent to N170.00, and Nigerian Enamelware chalked up 6.01 per cent to trade at N45.00.
Conversely, Juli lost 9.94 per cent to finish at N8.06, Thomas Wyatt declined by 9.63 per cent to N2.72, DAAR Communications crashed by 7.14 per cent to N1.04, Universal Insurance slipped by 5.00 per cent to N1.14, and Royal Exchange slumped by 4.17 per cent to N2.30.
During the trading day, market participants traded 415.4 million equities valued at N27.2 billion in 31,522 deals compared with the 481.0 million equities worth N16.8 billion traded in 22,854 deals in the preceding trading day, showing a leap in the trading value and number of deals by 61.91 per cent and 37.93 per cent apiece, and a decline in the trading volume by 13.64 per cent.
Fidelity Bank was the most active stock yesterday with a turnover of 49.5 million units sold for N982.7 million, Access Holdings transacted 42.4 million units worth N1.1 billion, Chams exchanged 20.2 million units valued at N81.1 million, Nigerian Breweries traded 17.9 million units worth N1.4 billion, and Japaul transacted 16.2 million units valued at N41.7 million.