At the close of Trading on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange on Thursday, Investors gained Thirteen Point Five Billion Naira despite a drastic fall in the share volume.
The volume of shares that exchanged hands crashed from Three Hundred and Fifty-Six Point Four-Six Million traded on Wednesday to One Hundred and Forty-Five Point Three Million on Thursday.
The Equity capitalization conversely rose to Twenty Point Three Trillion Naira from Twenty Point Two- Eight Trillion, a Thirteen point five billion naira or zero point six per cent gain.
The All Share Index as a result closed upward at Thirty-Eight Thousand, Seven Hundred and Seventy-Four Point Three points. This was a zero point Two-Six Percent Rise from Thirty-Eight Thousand, Seven Hundred and Sixty-Six Point Six-One Points Traded on Wednesday.
The value and the total deals closed red. The value plunged to One Point Five-Seven Billion Naira from Four Point One Billion Naira previously traded, while total deals fell to Three Thousand Five Hundred and Twenty –Five from Six Thousand One Hundred and Thirty.
A rise in the share prices of financial sector’s equities which include, ZENITH BANK, GUARANTY TRUST BANK, ACCESS, UBA and FIRST BANK NIGERIA HOLDINGS anchored the Thursday’s gain.
GUARANTY TRUST BANK traded shares worth Five Hundred and Eighty-Nine Million with ZENITH BANK trading over five hundred and seventy-nine million naira worth of shares.
FIRST BANK OF NIGERIAN HOLDINGS traded the highest number of shares, recording Twenty –One-Point Eight –Five Million shares.
The market sentiment was positive as thirteen gainers were recorded against twelve losers
On the sectorial front, OANDO led the oil and gas sector, trading Over Three Million shares valued at Nine Point Six Million naira. While GUARANTY TRUST BANK led the financial sector.
CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INSURANCE PLC gained nine point six-eight percent to top the gainer’s chart. Its share price rose to Thirty –Four Kobo from Thirty-One Kobo traded on Wednesday.
On the loser’s side, ROYAL EXCHANGE PLC shed Three Kobo on its share price and close at Thirty-Six Kobo, a fall from Thirty-Nine Kobo previously traded.
