Equities market gains N60bn as investors buy Seplat Energy, 30 others

The domestic equities market on Friday closed northward with a gain of N60 billion, buoyed by price uptick in Seplat Energy and 30 others.

Accordingly, the All Share Index (ASI) gained by 109.46 points, representing a growth of 0.16 per cent to close at 66,548.99 points. Also, market capitalisation gained N60 billion to close at N36.423 trillion.

Also, investor sentiment, as measured by market breadth, improved as 31 stocks advanced, while 19 declined. NGX Group recorded the highest price gain of 10 per cent to close at N26.40, per share. Seplat Energy followed with a gain of 9.95 per cent to close at N1,837.00, while Trans-Nationwide Express rose by 9.38 per cent to close at N1.05, per share.

University Press appreciated by 9.32 per cent to close at N2.58, while Associated Bus Company up by 8.64 per cent to close at 88 kobo, per share.

On the other hand, Multiverse Mining and Exploration led the losers’ chart by 10 per cent, to close at N2.70, per share. NASCON Allied Industries followed with a decline of 9.81 per cent each to close at N50.55, while Honeywell Flour Mills declined by 8.11 per cent to close at N3.40, per share.

May and Baker Nigeria depreciated by 7.27 per cent to close at N5.10, while Jaiz Bank declined by 6.83 per cent to close at N1.50, per share.

However, the total volume traded decreased by 2.5 per cent to 620.98 million units, valued at N7.18 billion, and exchanged in 7,972 deals. Transactions in the shares of Sterling Financial Holdings Company topped the activity chart with 160.996 million shares valued at N531.392 million. Transnational Corporation (Transcorp) followed with 135.696 million shares worth N847.536 million, while Fidelity Bank traded 57.623 million shares valued at N403.334 million.

FTN Cocoa processors traded 47.177 million shares valued at N97.395 million, while Dangote Sugar Refinery sold 28.858 million shares worth N1.601 billion.