Equities market index closes October with 3.5% growth

Nigeria’s equities market has ended the month of October on a positive note as the performance for the last day of the month improved the Month-to-Date and Year-to-Date returns to 3.5 per cent and 36.3 per cent respectively.

Trading activities on the equities segment of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) sustained a positive growth on Tuesday, with the NSE’s All- Share Index posting a growth of 0.54 per cent or 195.99 points to close at 36,680.29 points.

This was also as the market capitalisation recorded a growth of N67.8 billion to settle at N12.695 trillion, owing to favourable third-quarter results being churned out by listed companies.

The day’s price movement chart showed Fidson Health Care and Flourmills Nigeria Plc accumulated the highest percentage growth of 5 per cent each to close at N3.99 and N31.50 per share, respectively.

CAP also recorded a growth of 4.98 per cent to close at N34.12, Dangote Flour added 4.96 per cent and Vitafoam garnered 4.95 per cent to finish at N2.97 per share.
On the other hand, Fidelity Bank was the day’s highest loser, depreciating by 6.17 per cent to settle at N1.52 per share. It was followed by Beta Glass, which went down by 5 per cent to finish at N54.1 per share, and Airservice, which fell by 4.96 per cent to close at N7.48 per share.

Jaiz Bank and Livestock Feeds dropped 4.92 per cent and 4.71 per cent to close at 58 kobo and 81 kobo respectively.
The volume and value of shares traded on Tuesday, were better than previous trading session as investors as at the close of business, exchanged a total of 259 million shares worth N3 billion in 4,503 deals in contrast to 175 million shares valued at N1.8 billion sold in 3,401 deals on Monday.

Following an impressive result declared the preceding day, shares of Diamond Bank emerged the topmost traded stock for the day, eventually trading 42.9 million units worth N42.6 million. Fidelity Bank traded 31 million shares valued at N47.6m, while FBN Holdings sold 21.5 million shares for N132m.

Dangote Flour exchanged 19.7 million shares worth N184m, and Transcorp transacted 19.3 million shares worth N27.15m.

Adesola Afolabi