The domestic equities market opened trading for the week on Monday with a marginal growth of 0.02 percent.

Specifically, the All-Share Index rose by 8.0 points or 0.02 percent to close at 38,220.01 from 38,212.01 achieved on Friday.

Thus, the All-Share Index traded flat at 38,220.01, with a month-to-date gain at 0.8 percent, while the year-to-date loss was unchanged at 5.1 percent.

Also, the market capitalization garnered N4 billion to close at N19.923 trillion compared with N19.755 trillion posted on Friday.

The market upturn was driven by price appreciation in large and medium capitalized stocks amongst which are; Stanbic IBTC Holdings, UPDC Real Estate Investment Trust, Cutix, NCR Nigeria, and Africa Prudential.

Analysts at Afrinvest Limited predicted that profit-taking would dominate trading this week in the absence of any positive catalyst.

Investors sentiment closed positive with 27 gainers in contrast with 16 stocks losers.

Cutix dominated the gainers’ chart in percentage terms with 10 percent to close at N3.30 per share.

NCR Nigeria followed with 9.69 percent to close at N2.49, while Regency Alliance Insurance improved by 9.52 percent to close at 46k per share.

UACN Property Development Company rose by 9.30 percent to close at 94k, while Wapic Insurance gained 9.26 percent to close at 59k per share.

On the other hand, Red Star Express led the losers’ chart in percentage terms by 9.81 percent to close at N3.31 per share.

Associated Bus Company followed with 8.11 percent to close at 34k, while NPF Microfinance Bank lost 6.98 percent to close at N1.60 per share.

Presco dipped 6.04 percent to close at N70, while Chams Plc shed 4.76 percent to close at 20k per share.

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The total volume of trades rose by 35.1 percent as investors bought and sold 282.63 million units valued at N1.87 billion exchanged in 4,788 deals.

This was in contrast with a total of 205.45 million shares worth N2.73 billion traded in 3,563 deals on Friday.

Transactions in the shares of Fidelity Bank topped the activity chart with 28.09 million shares valued at N64.53 million.

Wema Bank followed with 19.64 million shares worth N14.42 million, while Universal Insurance traded 18.03 million shares valued at N3.61 million.

FCMB Group traded 14.82 million shares worth N45.86 million, while Sovereign Trust Insurance transacted 14.41 million shares valued at N3.89 million.