By Adedapo Adesanya
The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange extended its stay in the negative territory, recording a 2.41 per cent depreciation on Wednesday, July 24, causing the market to fall below the N2 trillion mark.
The value of Aradel Holdings Plc further declined during the session by N268.87 to end at N4,500.00 per unit, in contrast to the preceding day’s N4,768.87 per unit. It was the sole price decliner at midweek.
The OTC exchange posted a price gainer and it was FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc, appreciating by N4.67 to end the session at N51.70 per share versus Tuesday’s closing price of N47.03 per share.
What trading activities closed for the session, the market capitalisation went down by N49.29 billion to settle at N1.995 trillion compared with the previous day’s N2.044 trillion, and the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) decreased by 35.97 points to finish at 1,455.95 points, in contrast to the 1,491.92 points it recorded in the previous session.
Trading data also showed downward movement in the activity chart, with the volume of transactions declined by 56.7 per cent to 55,033 units from the 127,098 units traded in the preceding session, and the total value of trades went down by 6.00 per cent to N155.0 million from the N164.9 million posted a day earlier, while the number of deals executed at the midweek session went up by 122 per cent to 40 deals from the 18 deals carried out in the previous trading day.
When the market closed for the day, Capital Hotels Plc was the most active equity by volume on a year-to-date basis with 259.6 million units valued at N1.3 billion, trailed by Afriland Properties Plc with 230.4 million units sold for N4.1 billion, and Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) Plc with 218.8 million units worth N46.1 million.
Aradel Holdings Plc closed the day as the most active stock by value on a year-to-date basis with 7.5 million units sold for N22.5 billion, followed by Afriland Properties Plc with 230.4 million units valued at N4.1 billion, and Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc with 102.1 million units worth N2.5 billion.