Equities benchmark index plunges below 22,000 points

• As market shed N259bn to open week

By Omobayo Azeez

All Share Index (ASI) at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) recorded another marked fall on Monday as it plunged below its hitherto 22,000 points to close at 21,7000.98 basis points after shedding 497.45 points.

The ASI is the benchmark index that mirrors the rise and fall of share prices of equity  investments in the market as a major metrics for measuring performances in the market.

As the market closed negative to commence a new week, market capitalization fell in line in the red region to shed N259 billion from aggregate value of equity investments in the market and close at N11.309 trillion.

The day’s decline was equivalent to 2.24 per cent decline, therefore, worsening Month-to-Date (MtD) and Year-to-Date (YtD) losses to -17.2 per cent and -19.2 per cent respectively.

The total volume of trades increased by 22.4 per cent to 464.36 million units, valued at N3.87 billion and exchanged in 5,883 deals. Zenith Bank Plc was the most traded stock by volume and value at 120.46 million units and N1.30 billion, respectively.

All sector indices closed negative with the banking index shedding -9 per cent to incur the biggest loss of the day while the consumer goods, insurance, oil and gas and industrial goods indices depreciated by -3.67 per cent, -1.5 per cent, -0.8 per cent and -0.8 per cent respectively to follow suit.

Market breadth closed in favour of the bears with emergence of 25 decliners against nine gainers and 11 other stocks that did not impact on the day’s losses except for volume and value of trades as they closed on flat prices.

Meanwhile, the gainers were led by FlourMill and CAP Plc, each gaining N1.50 to close at N20.80 and N21 respectively. Others on the chart include CUSTODIAN, MayBaker and VitaFoam which recorded N0.45, N0.16 and N0.11 profits to close at N5.65, N1.95 and N4.25 per share respectively.

On the flip side, decliners of the day are led by Nigerian Breweries as it shed N3 to close at N27; Stanbic IBTC lost N2.65 to close at N23.85 per share and GUARANTY followed suit with N1.85 loss to end the session at N16.75 per share.

Zenith Bank Plc and Unilever shed N1.25 each to close at N10.70 and N10.50 per share respectively.