Nigerian Stock Market Statistics Wednesday, 19th February 2014.

The NSE All Share Index (ASI) advanced with a whooping 109basis points to close at 39,397.09. This was mainly due to gains in the share prices of Dangote Cement 1.3 per cent, Nigeria Breweries 3.1 per cent and Guaranty Trust Bank 3.6 per cent.

Similarly the market capitalisation added approximately N13.0billion to close at N12.7 trillion, with 3.0million units of shares worth N3.8billion exchanging hands. Market breadth tilted towards the gainers as 33 stocks advanced against 19 declined stocks to berth at 1.74 times.

Save for the NSE Oil & Gas index, all other indices closed in green. The NSE Banking index led the pack with Fidelity Bank, Access Bank and Stanbic IBTC Holding showing the highest signs of recovery, closing with 6.7 per cent, 4.7 per cent and 4.1 per cent return a piece.

The Consumer Index followed suite with 1.1 per cent on account of PZ Cussons’s 5.0 per cent price appreciation after posting a special dividend of N1.30 today. Similarly the NSE Industrial index and the Insurance index advanced 0.9 per cent and 0.4 per cent apiece. Conversely, the Oil & Gas index declined 1.7 per cent on account of selling pressures in Total 3.9 per cent and Oando 2.6 per cent.

Top gainers at the end of today’s trading session were Fidelity Bank 6.7 per cent, PZ Cussons 5.0 per cent and Eterna Oil 4.9 per cent, whilst top losers for the day were Airline services & Logistics 4.8 per cent, Costain 4.7 per cent and Evans medical 4.7 per cent.