The indices of the nation’s bourse rallied by 0.14 per cent on Friday following bargain hunting in attractive dividend paying stocks.

Accordingly, the All-Share Index rose by 59.15 points or 0.14 per cent to close at 41,763.26 from 41,704.11 recorded on Thursday.

Also, the market capitalisation which opened at N21.763 trillion inched higher by N31 billion or 0.14 per cent to close at N21.794 trillion.

Cutix led the gainers’ table in percentage terms, appreciating by 10 per cent to N6.05 per share.

Unilever followed with a gain of 9.85 per cent to N14.50, while ABC Transport added 9.68 per cent to close at 34k per share.

PZ Cussons gained 9.26 per cent to close at N5.90, while Total was up by 6.17 per cent to close at N204.90 per share.

Conversely, NEM Insurance topped the losers’ chart in percentage terms, dropping by 8.57 per cent to close at N1.92 per share.

Ikeja Hotels trailed with a loss of 7.83 per cent to close at N1.06, while NGX Group dipped 6.58 per cent to close at N22 per share.

Wapic Insurance dropped by 5.88 per cent to close at 48k, while NASCON lost 5.48 per cent to close at N14.65 per share.

However, the volume of shares traded closed higher as investors bought and sold 510.19 million shares valued at N5.87 billion in 5,485 deals.

This was against a total of 216.19 million shares worth N3.38 billion achieved in 4,272 deals on Thursday.

FBN Holdings drove the activity chart, exchanging 154.39 million shares valued at N1.91 billion.

Ecobank Transnational Incorporated followed with 56.09 million shares worth N421.53 million, while Transcorp traded 31.95 million shares valued at N32.32 million.

The NGX Group accounted for 29.87 million shares worth N72.32 million, while Wema Bank exchanged 24.12 million shares valued at N17.41 million.

(NAN)