By Chris Ndibe
After days of persistent bearish trend, transactions on the nation’s bourse rebounded on Thursday by 0.78 per cent following buying interest in Dangote Cement.
Specifically, the All-Share Index rose by 318.29 points or 0.78 per cent to close at 41,014.30 compared with 40,696.01 posted on Wednesday.
Also, the market capitalisation which opened at N21.289 trillion inched higher by N167 billion or 0.78 per cent to close at N21.456 trillion.
The market gain was driven by price appreciation in large and medium capitalised stocks amongst which are; Dangote Cement, Mutual Benefits Assurance, Soverign Trust Insurance, Vitafoam and Unilever.
Dangote Cement dominated the gainers’ chart in percentage terms, gaining 7.04 per cent to close at N228 per share.
Mutual Benefits Assurance followed with 5.41 per cent to close at 39k, while Sovereign Trust Insurance appreciated by 3.70 per cent to close at 28k per share.
Vitafoam rose by 3.33 per cent to close at N9.30, while Unilever appreciated by 2.57 per cent to close at N13.95 per share.
On the other hand, Linkage Assurance and Livestock Feeds led the losers’ chart in percentage terms, losing10 per cent each to close at 54k and N2.25 per share, respectively.
Nigerian Aviation Handling Company dipped 9.96 per cent to close at N2.08,p per share.
Northern Nigeria Flour Mills lost 9.88 per cent to close at N7.02, while Portland Paints & Products shed 9.84 per cent to close at N2.84 per share.
Also, the total volume of shares traded rose by 247.4 per cent as investors bought and sold 1.27 billion shares worth N6.39 billion in 6,573 deals.
This was against 366.86 million shares valued at N5.84 billion achieved in 5,718 deals on Wednesday.
Transactions in the shares of LivingTrust Mortgage Bank, formerly Omoluabi Mortgage Bank, topped the activity chart with 796.45 million shares worth N493.80 million.
Transcorp followed with 55.75 million shares valued at N50.54 million, while FBN Holdings traded 51.94 million shares worth N364.51 million.
United Bank for Africa accounted for 48.78 million shares valued at N380.21 million, while Zenith Bank transacted 37.11 million shares worth N885.3 million.
