NSE: Index closes southward with 0.82% loss, amid Yuletide mood

The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share Index resumed trading for the week on Monday southward, shedding 0.82 per cent.

Out correspondent reports that the index closed lower at 30,614.73 compared with 30,866.82 achieved on Friday, following huge loses posted by some blue chip.

In the same vein, the market capitalisation, which opened at N11.268 trillion, dipped N92 billion or 0.82 per cent to close at N11.176 trillion as investors prepare for Yuletide celebrations.

Nestle topped the losers’ chart, dropping by N64 to close at N1,485 per share.

Mobil Oil followed with a loss of N14.80 to close at N160, while Nigerian Breweries dropped N2 to close at N78 per share.

UACN went down by 70k to close at N9.30, while Stanbic IBTC Holdings depreciated by 50k to close at N46 per share.

Conversely, Forte Oil led the gainers’ table during the day, gaining N1.15 to close at N19.15 per share.

Okomuoil Palm followed with a gain of N1.10 to close at N73, while Dangote Cement appreciated by 20k to close at N184.20 per share.

Vitafoam gained 18k to close at N3.44, while United Bank for Africa increased by 15k to close at N7.65 per share.

The banking stocks dominated the activity chart with Diamond Bank emerging the most active stock, trading 44.92 million shares worth N44.59 million.

FBN Holdings followed with an account of 28.15 million shares valued at N214.22 million, while Sterling Bank traded 15.41 million shares worth N25.49 million.

United Bank for Africa sold 8.93 million shares valued at N67.86 million, while Zenith Bank sold 8.92 million shares worth N207.79 million.

In all, investors exchanged 164.58 million shares valued at N1.67 billion in 3,193 deals against 178.99 million shares worth N1.56 billion achieved in 2,631 deals on Friday.