Specifically, the All-Share Index inched higher by 876.67
points or 2.18 per cent to close at 41,147.39 from 40,270.72 achieved on
Thursday.
Also, the market capitalisation, which opened the year at
N21.056 trillion rose by N459 billion or 2.18 per cent to close at N21.515
trillion.
The upturn was impacted by gains recorded in medium and
large capitalised stocks, amongst which are: BUA Cement, Lafarge Africa,
Guaranty Trust Bank, Flour Mills and Dangote Sugar Refinery.
GTI Securities Ltd expressed optimism that the domestic
stock market would resume the new year upbeat with less attractive nature of
the fixed income market.
Market breadth closed positive with 32 gainers as against
two losers.
Honeywell Flour Mill, Sovereign Trust Insurance and
Transcorp led the gainers’ chart in percentage terms, gaining 10 per cent each,
to close at N1.32, 22k and 99k per share, respectively.
International Breweries and Fidelity Bank followed with 9.92
per cent each, to close at N6.54 and N2.77 per share, respectively.
BUA Cement increased by 9.89 per cent to close at N85 per
share.
Conversely, the FCMB Group led the losers’ chart in
percentage terms with a loss of 6.01 per cent to close at N3.13 per share.
Caverton shed 3.41 per cent to close at N1.98 per share.
Meanwhile, the total volume of shares traded declined by
70.18 per cent with an exchange of 211.93 million shares worth N1.41 billion in
3,438 deals.
This was in contrast with 710.71 million shares valued at
N10.08 billion exchanged in 4,396 deals on Thursday.
AIICO Insurance topped the activity chart with 87.52 million
shares worth N98.96 million; FCMB Group sold 19.67 million shares valued at
N60.08 million, while Transcorp accounted for 12.78 million shares worth N12.61
million.
Lafarge Africa sold 9.95 million shares valued at N222.98
million, while Access Bank transacted 9.60 million shares worth N85.39 million.
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