Market Loses N32 Billion As Investors Offload Unity Bank Stocks

Equities lost N32 billion, as the market capitalization declined to N56.032 trillion, from last week Monday’s N56.07 trillion. As part of the aftermath of Heritage Bank license revocation, Unity Bank has continued its downward trajectory, dropping 9.42%.

Sell-offs in Tier-one banking stocks last Tuesday extended losses on the Nigerian Exchange Ltd. (NGX).

Notably, investors lost N38 billion or 0.07 per cent, as the market capitalisation which opened at N56.069 trillion, closed at N56.031 trillion.

The All-Share Index also closed 0.07 per cent or 68 points lower to settle at 99,051.02, compared to 99,118.86 posted in the previous session.

Consequently, the Year-To-Date (YTD) return fell to 32.47 per cent.

Losses in Zenith Bank, FBN Holdings, United Bank For Africa (UBA), Fidelity, Wema Bank, Transnational Corporation, United Capital, among others declined equities underpinned the market’s weak performance.

Meanwhile, the market breadth closed negative with 22 losers and 17 gainers on the floor of the Exchange.

On the losers’ table, Tantalizers led by 10 per cent to close at 45k, International Energy Insurance trailed by 9.71 per cent to close at N1.58 per share.

UPDC Real Estate Investment lost 9.70 per cent to close at N1.21, Unity Bank shed 9.42 per cent to close at N1.25 and Chams declined by 6.67 per cent to close at N1.40 per share.

Conversely, Nigeria Breweries led the gainers table by 10 per cent to close at N28.60. Presco Plc followed closely by 9.99 per cent to settle at N293.90 per share.

Oando Plc rose by 9.65 per cent to close at N14.20, RTBriscoe gained 9.62 per cent to close at 57k and Deap Capital Management and Trust Plc added 9.09 per cent to close at 48k per share.

An analysis of the market activities showed trade turnover settled higher relative to the previous session, with the value of transactions up by 46.19 per cent.

A total of 347.39 million shares valued at N7.66 billion were exchanged in 8,122 deals, as against 349.59 million shares valued at N5.24 billion exchanged in 8,082 deals recorded in the previous session.

Veritas Kapital again led the activity chart in volume with 59.17 million shares valued at N40.22 million, followed by Fidelity with 48.12 million shares worth N468.23 million.

Oando sold 27.96 million shares valued at N397.02 million, Unity Bank traded 20.53 million valued at N25.92 million and UBA transacted 19.78 million shares worth N418.86 million to lead the chart in value.