Trading on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) maintained a negative trend, with the market capitalisation shedding N239 billion, mixed sentiments ahead of the end of the year with window dressing by fund managers.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the market capitalisation, which opened at N11.576 trillion lost N239 billion or 2.07 per cent to close at N11.337 trillion.

Also, the All-Share Index lost 654.91 or 2.07 per cent to close at 31,037.72 compared with 31,692.63 achieved on Thursday.

Nestle recorded the highest loss to lead the laggards’ table, shedding N137.10 to close at N1,480 per share.

Seplat Petroleum Development Plc trailed with a loss of N50.40 to close at N592.50, while Dangote Cement depreciated by N4.70 to close at N183 per share.

Forte Oil dipped N2.50 to close at N31.85, while UACN went down by N1.05 to close at N9.75 per share.

On the other hand, Stanbic IBTC led the gainers’ table during the day, gaining N2.65 to close at N53.25 per share.

Presco followed with a gain of N1.85 to close at N64, while Flour Mills gained 85k to close at N21.95 per share.

Berger Paint added 75k to close at N8.60, while Mobil increased 70k to close at N185.50 per share.

Mr Ambrose Omordion, Chief Operating Officer, InvestData Ltd., said that trading ended in yet another volatile session laced with profit taking.

Omordion said that the oscillating trend would likely continue into 2019, following wealth economic fundamentals with oil benchmark trading below the Federal Government 2018 and 2019 budget benchmark.

An analysis of the activity chart shows that investors bought and sold 1.96 billion worth N6.54 billion in 4,080 deals.

This was against the 452.26 million shares valued at N2.61 billion exchanged in 3,520 deals.

NEM Insurance led the activity chart emerging as the most active stock, exchanging 909.55 million shares worth N3.01 billion.

Wema Bank followed with an account of 657.28 million shares valued at N335.83 million, while NAHCO sold 98.54 million shares worth N413.24million.

Medview Air traded 76.09 million shares valued at N152.18 million, while Zenith Bank exchanged 39.61 million shares worth N913.71 million. (NAN)