The bears took the stage at the opening of the trading week, as transactions in the equities sector of Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), yesterday re-opened on a downward note, as virtually all the blue chip stocks recorded price depreciation, causing market capitalisation to dip by N114billion.

Specifically, at the close of trading on Monday, 30 stocks depreciated in price while nine constituted the gainers chart.Precisely, market capitalisation of listed equities declined by 0.9 per cent to N12.517trillion from N12.631trillion traded on Friday.Similarly, the All Share Index also depreciated by 329.15 basis points to 36317.31 points from 36646.46 points traded preciously.

Investors exchanged 348.122 million shares valued at N2.977billion in 3276 deals against 422.458 million shares worth N3.249billion traded in N3.249billion.

On the price movement chart, Mobil emerged the day’s highest price loser, shedding N9.62 kobo to close at N182.93 per share, Nigerian Breweries trailed with a loss of N4.99 kobo to close at N185.01 per share.

Guinness Nigeria Plc fell by N3.43 kobo to N78.07 per share, Conoil Plc declined by N1.37 kobo to N27.70 per share. Unilever Nigeria also down by N1.30 kobo to close at N40.00 per share.

On the other hand, Total Nigeria Plc led the gainers table during the day, gaining N19.70 kobo to close at N236.50 per share, PZ industry followed with a gain of N0.89 kobo to close at N26.89 per share.

Air Service appreciated by N0.27 kobo to close at N5.68 per share, Dangote Sugar Refinery Nigeria Plc increased by N0.25 kobo to close at N13.90 per share, while Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) also added N0.12 kobo to close at N3.40 per share.

Further breakdown of yesterday’s transactions showed that Custodian and Allied Insurance recorded the highest volume of activities during the day, exchanging 190.555 million shares worth N647.898 million, Oando Plc followed with 27.372 million shares valued at N185.367million.

Access Bank traded 14.948 million shares cost N151.534million, Fidelity Bank Plc 14.441 million shares worth N19.510million, Sterling Bank Plc traded 11.412 million shares valued at N11.626million.