Share price gains led by companies like Ashaka Cement plc, Guaranty Trust Bank plc, Lafarge WAPCO plc, Forte Oil plc, and Stanbic IBTC Holdings plc among others have helped to push the stock market 0.24 percent high.
After days of losses, the stock market opened this week on a positive note leading to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All Share Index (ASI) closing high at 42,936.06 points against the preceding trading day’s level of 42,832.82 points.
Also, the market capitalisation rose from a low of N14.143trn to N14.175trn, indicating N32bn value addition by Nigerian equities. This was the outcome after investors in 5,502 deals exchanged 468,559,126 units of listed companies shares valued at N6.2bn.
Ashaka Cement plc led other equities on the gainers’ table after its share price rose by N1.62, from N32.55 to N34.17. GTBank plc followed after its share price gained N1.03, from a low of N29.97 to N31.
Also, Lafarge WAPCO plc rallied from N112.03 to N113, adding N0.97; while Forte Oil plc appreciated from N234.06 to N235, adding N0.94. Stanbic IBTC Holdings plc rose from N27.05 to N27.5, adding N0.45.
A total number of 27 stocks gained on the bourse while 29 stocks declined leaving 58 stocks unchanged. On the losers’ chart, Guinness Nigeria plc lost N5.5, from N205 to N199.5; while Julius Berger Nigeria plc declined from N68.05 to N66.01, losing N2.04.
Seplat Petroleum Development Company plc was another big loser at the bourse yesterday after its share price dropped by N2, from N702 to N700; followed by Flour Mills Nigeria plc which declined by N1.3, from N78 to N76.7; while Unilever Nigeria plc made the top losers list after its share price declined from N51.5 to N50.24, down by N1.26.
Actively traded equities include: FBN Holdings plc, Unity Bank plc, Wema Bank plc, Transnational Corporation plc, and GTBank plc.
In a related market development, MRS Oil Nigeria plc declared a dividend of 75kobo per share for the financial year ended 31st December, 2013.
Ahead of its annual general meeting scheduled to hold on August 7, 2014; MRS Oil Nigeria plc will be closing its registers for members from 14th – 18th July, 2014 against dividend payment date of August 8, 2014.
