The market indices of the nation’s bourse opened trading for the week on Monday with a loss of 0.12 per cent, following sell pressure in Lafarge Africa and PZ Cussons.

Specifically, the market capitalisation which opened at N20.571 trillion, lost N25 billion or 0.12 per cent to close at N20.546 trillion.

Also, the All-Share Index lost 48.39 points or 0.12 per cent to close at 39,434.69, from 39,483.08 recorded on Friday.

Accordingly, month-to-date and year-to-date return,  settled at +2.3 per cent and -2.1 per cent, respectively.

The negative performance was buoyed by investors’ sell-off sentiment in all the major market sectors,  excluding the insurance sector.

The market negative performance was driven by price depreciation in large and medium capitalised stocks amongst which were; Lafarge Africa, PZ Cussons Nigeria, Union Bank of Nigeria, Guaranty Trust Bank Holding Company and Eterna.

However, the market breadth closed positive with 21 gainers as against 11 losers.

FTN Cocoa Processors led the gainers’ chart in percentage terms with 10 per cent, to close at 44k per share.

Pharma Deko followed with 9.88 per cent to close at N1.89, while Transcorp Hotels went up by 9.69 per cent to close at N4.30 per share.

Courteville Business Solutions rose by 9.68 per cent to close at 34k, while Learn Africa gained 9.30 per cent to close at N1.41 per share.

On the other hand, Lafarge Africa led the losers’ chart in percentage terms by 5.29 per cent,  to close at N21.50 per share.

PZ Cussons followed with 4.17 per cent to close at N5.75, while Union Bank declined by 3.81 per cent, to close at N5.05 per share.

Eterna lost 2.36 per cent to close at N6.20, while FCMB Group shed 2.27 per cent, to close at N3.02 per share.

Transactions in the shares of Chams topped the activity chart with 47.95 million shares,  valued N10.57 million.

GTCO followed with 20.94 million shares worth N586.12 million, while Honeywell Flour Mills traded 14.55 million shares, valued  N45.13 million.

Courteville Business Solutions sold 13.02 million shares worth N4.34 million, while Wema Bank transacted 10.34 million shares, valued  N8.97 million.

In all, investors bought and sold 211.33 million units worth N2.03 billion exchanged in 3,939 deals.

This was lower than 280.57 million shares valued N3.18 billion, transacted in 4,012 deals on Friday.