It was a record breaking week with the NSE ASI posting the largest singular gain of 3.18per cent , since 15th of June 2016.

Analysts at Cordros Capital Limited, an investment banking firm, said judging by market activity in the past three weeks, and more specifically, the spike in the number of deals and volume traded last week, “we sense improved investors, both local and foreign, appetite for risk assets on domestic bourse, following the: reduced apprehension in the macroeconomic environment; impressive 2016 full year and first quarter (Q1) performance of highly capitalised names, and increased confidence about the stability and liquidity of the foreign exchange (FX).

Apart from the ASI, that appreciated, all other indices finished higher during the week with the exception of the NSE ASeM Index that closed flat.

Daily Market Performance

The stock market opened for trading in the week on a positive note, sustaining its bullish trend, following high demand for fast moving consumer goods, insurance and banking stocks. Having gained 1.85 per cent last week, some level of profit taking was expected as trading resumed for the week yesterday. However, it appears investors are delaying their profit taking as bargain hunting remained high. Consequently, the NSE All-Share Index appreciated by 0.70 per cent to close at 26,418.33, while market capitalisation added N63.2 billion to close at N9.1 trillion.

Monday’s performance reduced the year-to-date decline to 1.70 per cent. The market recorded 26 price gainers, while 12 stocks depreciated. Although bellwether stocks such as Nestle Nigeria Plc, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, GTBank Plc were among the price gainers, Oando Plc led the chart with 10.0 per cent, trailed by Seven-Up Bottling Company Plc with 9.7 per cent. Continental Reinsurance Plc and AIICO Insurance Plc chalked up 9.4 per cent and 7.5 per cent respectively among others.

Conversely, Champion Breweries Plc led the price losers with 4.6 per cent, followed by Jaiz Bank Plc with a decline of 4.5 per cent. African Prudential Plc and Dangote Flour Mills Plc shed 3.3 per cent and 2.3 per cent in that order.

In terms of sectoral performance, all indices advanced except the NSE Industrial Goods Index that shed 0.02 per cent following price loss by Cement Company of Northern Nigeria(-1.9 per cent). The NSE Consumer Goods Index recorded the highest gain (+2.0) on account of buy sentiment in Nestle (+3.4 per cent), Seven-Up Bottling Company Plc (+9.7 per cent) and Nigerian Breweries Plc (+2.7 per cent). Similarly, the NSE Insurance Index went up by 1.8 per cent on the back of price appreciations in Continental (+9.4 per cent) and AIICO (+7.6 per cent) while the NSE Oil & Gas and NSE Banking indices appreciated 1.4 per cent and 0.4 per cent respectively.

Following continuous bull run, the market rallied to a year high on Tuesday after gaining for the eight consecutive days. Sustained demand lifted the NSE ASI by 1.28 per cent to close at year’s high of 26,756.21, while market capitalisation added N116.8 billion to be at N9.25 trillion. The gain was spurred mainly by demand for stocks such as Oando Plc, Access Bank Plc, FBN Holdings Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Dangote Cement Plc, Nigerian Breweries Plc and Zenith Bank Plc.

According to analysts at Meristem Securities Limited, the increased investors’ appetite witnessed may be traced to the streams of positive news inflow as regards companies’ performance and economic recovery.

“Whilst we do not rule of some profit-taking activities at the end of the week, we reiterate that the current positive trend may persist,” they stated.

The bulls visited 34 stocks, while only six stocks played host to the bears. Just like Monday, Oando Plc led the price gainers with 10.1 per cent, trailed by Fidson Healthcare Plc with 9.5 per cent. Transcorp Plc chalked up 7.1 per cent just as May & Baker Nigeria Plc, Portland Paints and Products, Cement Company of Northern Nigeria Plc and Access Bank Plc appreciated by 5.9 per cent, 4.9 per cent, 4.8 per cent and 4.8 per cent in that order among others.

Conversely, Linkage Assurance Plc led the price losers with 3.7 per cent, followed by Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc with 3.5 per cent. Total Nigeria Plc shed 2.3 per cent, just as Lafarge Africa Plc and Seven-Up Bottling Company Plc depreciated by 2.2 per cent and 1.8 per cent respectively.

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