Heavy share price gains recorded by most blue chip companies on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), especially Nestle, and Total Oil, yesterday, buoyed market capitalisation by N130billion.

Specifically, at the close of transactions yesterday, 22 stocks appreciated in price, led by Nestle with 20.19 kobo to close at N1, 220.20 per share, and Total followed with 11.40 kobo to close at N239.51 per share.

Dangote Cement added 9.28 kobo to close at N224.90 per share. Forte oil gained 0.50 kobo to close at N50.50 per share. National Salt Company of Nigeria appreciated by 0.48 kobo to close at N13.50 per share. Livestock Feeds and Dangote Flour Mills added 0.15 kobo to close at N0.95, and N6.45 per share respectively. UAC-Properties garnered 0.13 kobo to close at N2.88 per share. United Bank for Africa added 0.11 per cent to close at N9.38 per share. CAP gained 0.10 per cent to close at N34.50 per share. Dangote Sugar Refinery appreciated by 0.06 per cent to close at N12.84 per share. C&L Leasing added 0.05 per cent to close at N1.08 per share.

However, Mobil Oil led 21 others in the losers’ chart with 11.25 kobo to close at N213.81 per share, while Conoil followed with 3.30 kobo to close at N30.59 per share. Flourmills lost 1.15 kobo to close at N29.85 per share. Zenith Bank 0.95 kobo to close at N23.05 per share. UACN lost 0.80 kobo to close at N15.70 per share. Guinness shed 0.50 per cent to close at N84.50 per share. Nigerian Breweries dropped 0.49 kobo to close at N183.01 per share. Unilever depreciated by 0.45 kobo to close at N45.55 per share. Union Bank shed weight by 0.29 kobo to close at N5.71 per share. Fidson lost 0.12 per cent to close at N0.12 per share. BOC Gases shed 0.11 per cent to close at N3.50 per share.

The All-share index rose by 378.04 point or one per cent from 36,584.44 recorded on Monday to 36,962.48, while market capitalisation rose by N130billion from N12.609 trillion to N12739 trillion.

Investors exchanged 244 million shares in 3,829 deals, down from a total of 368 million units that changed hands in 3,728 deals on Monday.
On the activity chart, the banking sector was the most active in volume terms with 64 million shares in 1,021 deals, while the food products sub-sector followed with 12 million units valued at 392 deals.

Guaranty Trust Bank enhanced activities in the banking sub-sector with 16 million shares in 127 deals, while United Bank for Africa followed with 13 million units in 127 deals.