Trading remains upbeat on NSE, index up 1.28%

Activities on the Nigerian Stock Exchange on Friday remained upbeat for the fifth consecutive day, with the All-Share Index growing by 1.28 per cent to cross 26,000 mark.

The index rose by 332.20 points or 1.28 per cent to close at 26,319.34, compared with 25,987.14 recorded on Thursday.

In the same vein, the market capitalisation grew by N173 billion to close at N13.754 trillion, from N13.581 trillion on Thursday.

Nigerian Breweries led the gainers’ table, appreciating by N4.70 to close at N52.55 per share.

Presco followed with N3.50 to close at N53, while Dangote Cement appreciated by N3.10 to close at N139 per share.

Stanbic IBTC garnered N1.40 to close at N40.50, while Flour Mills gained N1.35 to close at N21.50 per share.

On the other hand, Northern Nigeria Flour Mills topped the laggards’ chart, losing 45k to close at N4.05 per share.

Cadbury trailed with 40k to close at N7, while Oando was down by 22k to close at N2.30 per share.

Dangote Sugar Refinery dipped 20k to close at N12.30, while UACN also lost 20k to close at N6.10 per share.

Sterling Bank was the most active, exchanging 79.58 million shares valued at N92.31 million.

Zenith Bank came second with an account of 50.75 million shares worth N878.62 million, while FBN Holdings traded 34.22 million shares valued at N176.20 million.

United Bank for Africa sold accounted for 26.69 million shares worth N163.15 million, while Access Bank exchanged 22.22 million shares worth N147.94 million.

In all, the volume of shares traded dipped 6.66 per cent as investors bought and sold 335.75 million shares valued at N4.28 billion in 4,231 deals.

This was in contrast with 359.31 million shares worth N3.87 billion exchanged in 3,576 deals on Thursday.