Following price gains recorded by virtually all the blue chip stocks, especially Dangote Cement, and Nestle, equity transactions on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), closed upbeat yesterday, as market capitalisation rose significantly by N143billion.

Yesterday 31 stocks appreciated in price, led by Dangote Cement with 5.00 kobo to close at N215.00 per share, while Nestle followed with 2.99kobo to close at N1,223.01 per share. Presco added 2.95 kobo to close at N61.95 per share. WAPCO garnered 2.08 kobo to close at N54.10 per share.

Nigerian Breweries gained 2.00kobo to close at N163.60 per share. Total Oil appreciated by 1.50 kobo to close at N241.00. Stanbic IBTC added 0.50 kobo to close at N41.00 per share.

Dangote Flour appreciated by 0.30 kobo to close at N6.64 per share. Zenith Bank added 0.28 kobo to close at N24.68 per share. Guaranty Trust Bank garnered 0.25 kobo to close at N40.25 per share. United Bank for Africa added 0.20 kobo to close at N9.20 per share. Access Bank also garnered 0.17 kobo to close at N9.80 per share.

However, 14 stocks constituted the losers’ chart, as Mobil emerged the day’s highest price loser with 8.28 kobo to close at N161.72 per share while MRS followed with 1.51 kobo to close at N28.88 per share.

PZ Cussons lost 0.68 kobo to close at N23.55 per share. Cadbury shed 0.54 kobo to close at N10.26 per share. Ecobank TransNational Incorporated dropped 0.35 kobo to close at N16.75 per share.

Unilever shed 0.18 kobo to close at N43.43 per share. African Prudential shed 0.10 kobo to close at N3.31 per share. May & Baker lost 0.08 kobo to close at N2.52 per share. Continental Reinsurance depreciated by 0.07 kobo to close at N1.36 per share. TransNational Corporations also dropped 0.05 kobo to close at N1.33 per share.

Consequently, the All-share index rose by 415.41 points from 35,358.57 recorded on Wednesday to 35,773.98. Also, market capitalisation increased by N143billion or 1.2 per cent from N12. 171trillion to N12.314trillion.

Investors exchanged 317 million shares worth N12.3billion in 3,327 deals. Skye Bank was investors’ toast with 94 million shares worth N48million.United Bank for Africa followed with 35 million units valued at N321million. TransNational Corporations traded 26 million shares valued at N34million. MCNICHOLS exchanged 20 million shares worth 24 million. Investors also bought 19 million units of Access Bank, valued at N192million.