Profit taking in Livestock Feeds, Regal insurance and UPDC leads to 0.12% decline in the stock market

• The Nigerian stock market continued its downwards trajectory this week, as the NGX All Share Index (ASI) and market capitalisation declined by 0.12%, to close at 144,986.51 points and N92.22trn respectively. Consecutively, the ASI year-to-date return eased to 40.86% from 41.03% in the previous session. 
• The negative performance was driven by profit taking in mid cap stocks such as LIVESTOCK (-7.75%), REGALINS (-6.56%), and UPDC (-6.14%), which offset the buying interest in stocks including, NCR (+9.95%), UPL (+9.80%), and TANTALIZER (+9.79%). 
• Market activity also declined with trade volume and transaction value dipping by 2.84% and 46.67%, respectively. TANTALIZER(+9.79%) led the volume chart for the second time with 58.77mn units, while ARADEL (+0.00%) led the value chart with N9.5bn worth of trades. 
• Market breadth closed positive at 1.04x, indicating more market gainers than decliners. NCR (+9.95%) led the thirty (30) gainers, while LIVESTOCK (-7.75%) led the twenty-nine (29) losers.

NASD Summary

• The NASD market continued the week on the green, with the NASD Securities Index (NSI) and market capitalisation rising by 0.28%, closing at 3,626.74points and N2.16trn, respectively. 
• Market activity also increased, with transaction volume and transaction value by rising by 206.40% and 260.20%, respectively. 
• SDFCWAMCO (-9.92%) led the decliners, and there were no gainers recorded in today’s session.