The stock market segment of the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) yesterday gained 0.04 per cent to continue its bull dominance, driven by investor demand for Zenith Bank  Plc and 28 others.

As Zenith Bank added 3.2 per cent,  the NGX All-Share Index (ASI) gained 41.89 basis points or 0.04 per cent to close at 105,593.28 basis points with the Month-to-Date and Year-to-Date returns settled at -2.1per cent and +2.6per cent, respectively.

Also, market capitalisation rose by N26 billion to close at N66.215 trillion.

Analysing by sectors, the NGX Insurance Index (+2.0%) and NGX Banking Index (+1.3%), while the NGX Oil & Gas Index (-1.7per cent) and NGX Consumer Goods Index (-0.1per cent) declined. The NGX Industrial Goods index remained unchanged.

As measured by market breadth, market sentiment was positive, as 29 stocks gained relative to 21 losers. May & Baker Nigeria emerged the highest price gainer of 10 per cent to close at N8.80, per share. 

Mutual Benefits Assurance followed with a gain of 9.59 per cent to close at 80 kobo, while eTranzact International advanced by 9.38 per cent to close at N5.25, per share.

Abbey Mortgage Bank appreciated by 8.86 per cent to close at N4.30, while Consolidated Hallmark Holdings rose by 8.79 per cent to close at N3.59, per share. 

On the other side, Eterna led others on the losers’ chart with 9.21 per cent to close at N34.50, per share. Royal Exchange followed with a decline of 7.95 per cent to close at 81 kobo, while Veritas Kapital Assurance shed 5.98 per cent to close at N1.10, per share.

Wapic Insurance lost 5.88 per cent to close at N2.24, while Oando depreciated by 5.66 per cent to close at N50.00, per share.

However, the total volume traded declined by 20.70 per cent to 330.086 million units, valued at N14.857 billion, and exchanged in 12,317 deals. Transactions in the shares of Access Holdings led the activity with 36.309 million shares worth N804.429 million. United Bank for Africa (UBA) followed with account of 26.488 million shares valued at N1.002 billion, while Fidelity Bank traded 20.485 million shares worth N380.582 million.

Zenith Bank traded 20.059 million shares worth N966.503 million, while United Capital traded 16.072 million shares worth N268.545 million.