The key performance indices of the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited tumbled by 0.55 per cent as a result of sell-offs across the major sectors of the market.
The bourse witnessed weak investor sentiment and low activity level during the trading day ahead of a two-day Sallah break on Wednesday and Thursday.
Analysis of the data showed that investors embarked on profit-taking yesterday, as traders liquidated their shares for holiday spending.
The banking space went down by 1.83 per cent, the insurance counter decreased by 1.41 per cent, the consumer goods index shed 0.77 per cent, the energy sector crashed by 0.14 per cent, and the industrial goods sector closed flat with an insignificant contraction.
Consequently, the All-Share Index (ASI) dropped 1,386.18 points to settle at 249,738.84 points compared with the previous day’s 251,125.02 points, and the market capitalisation crumbled by N889 billion to N160.094 trillion from N160.983 trillion.
There were 18 price gainers and 39 price losers on Customs Street at the close of transactions, representing a negative market breadth index.
Dangote Sugar depreciated by 10.00 per cent to N78.30, Transcorp Power lost 9.97 per cent to trade at N245.50, The Initiates slipped by 9.85 per cent to N27.45, Abbey Mortgage Bank dipped by 9.49 per cent to N6.20, and Fidelity Bank gave up 9.05 per cent to close at N21.60.
On the flip side, Austin Laz and McNichols gained 10.00 per cent each to sell for N4.40 and N7.92, respectively. International Energy Insurance chalked up 9.89 per cent to trade at N4.11, Learn Africa improved by 9.44 per cent to N12.75, and Haldane McCall jumped 8.06 per cent to N3.89.
The busiest stock for the day was Access Holdings with 80.6 million units worth N2.0 billion. Zenith Bank traded 33.8 million units valued at N4.5 billion, Mutual Benefits transacted 31.8 million units for N138.9 million, Neimeth exchanged 22.3 million units worth N233.0 million, and Sterling Holdings sold 22.2 million units valued at N172.4 million.
In all, market participants bought and sold 564.1 million units for N27.2 billion in 65,666 deals versus the 629.4 million units valued at N40.9 billion executed in 82,434 deals a day earlier. This showed that the trading volume, value, and number of deals went down by 10.38 per cent, 33.50 per cent, and 20.34 per cent, respectively.
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