Nigerian Equity: Week Ending 27th March 2015

The week ending 27th March 2015, heavy transactions in the shares of some banks and insurance companies, especially United Bank for Africa (UBA), Mansard Insurance, lifted the volume of shares traded, as a turnover of 2.509 billion shares worth NGN24.115 billion were exchanged in 19,971 deals by investors on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. In comparison to previous week, a total of 1.382 billion shares valued at NGN12.053 billion changed hands in 16,877 deals.

Explicitly, at the close of transactions, the financial services industry (measured by volume) led the activity chart with 2.198 billion shares valued at NGN14.144 billion traded in 12,589 deals; thus contributing 87.60 per cent and 58.65per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

In addition, the conglomerates industry followed with a turnover of 161.705 million shares worth NGN1.095 billion in 1,223 deals. Followed by the consumer goods industry with 67.492 million shares worth N7.157 billion in 2,516 deals.

Trading in the top three equities namely- United Bank for Africa Plc, Mansard Insurance Plc and FBN Holdings Plc (measured by volume) accounted for 1.223 billion shares worth N5.403 billion in 4,715 deals, contributing 48.76 per cent  and 22.40 per cent  to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

In addition, traded during the week were a total of 572,478 units of Exchange Traded Products (ETPs) valued at N8.255 million executed in 22 deals compared with a total of 105,162 units valued at N1.504 million transacted last week in 20 deals. A total of 210 units of FGN Bonds valued at N221,637.88 were traded in three  deals this week. There was no trade recorded on bonds last week.

The NSE All-share index and market capitalization appreciated by 4.19per cent and 5.41per cent respectively to close on Friday at 30,562.93 and N10.319 trillion. Likewise, all Indices finished higher during the week, as 50 equities appreciated in price during the week, higher than 11 equities of the preceding week.  21 equities depreciated in price, lower than 53 equities of the preceding week, while 125 equities remained unchanged, lower than 132 equities recorded in the preceding week.

A total of 1,402,575,984 ordinary shares of 50 kobo each, being Scheme Shares allotted to members of Lafarge S.A group was added to the outstanding shares of Lafarge Africa Plc on 27th March 2015. By this action, the total outstanding shares of the company now stood at 4,404,175,988 units.