Analysts’ project equities market rebound amid last week decline

*As NGX down by 0.21% in one week

Motolani Oseni

As the equities market of Nigeria Exchange Limited (NGX) last week closed in negative territory ahead of the Christmas celebration, stock market analysts have projected that the market may close positive this week as the year 2021 comes to an end.

Although, the decline was contrary to the usual Santa Clause rally that the domestic stock market experiences yearly, even as the week only going to be restricted to only three days trading session, due to the two public holidays declared by the federal government of Nigeria.

The NGX All-Share Index and Market Capitalization depreciated by 0.21 per cent, to close last week trading activities at 42,262.85 and N22.060 trillion respectively.

Also, all other indices finished lower with the exception of NGX Main Board, NGX Banking, NGX Insurance, NGX AFR Div Yield, NGX MERI Growth, NGX Consumer Goods and NGX Industrial Goods Index which appreciated by 0.44 per cent, 0.10 per cent, 1.85 per cent, 0.15 per cent, 0.56 per cent, 0.78 per cent and 0.43 per cent respectively while the NGX ASeM, NGX Growth and NGX Sovereign Bond Indices closed flat.

A total of 33 equities appreciated in price during the week, higher than 32 in the previous week, even as 25 equities depreciated in price, lower than 28 in the previous week, while 99 equities remained unchanged higher than 96 equities recorded in the previous week.

A turnover of 965.061 million shares worth N12.455 billion in 14,802 deals was traded in the week by investors on the floor of the Exchange, in contrast to a total of 1.317 billion shares valued at N15.330 billion that exchanged hands the upper week in 18,292 deals.

The Financial Services Industry (measured by volume) led the activity chart with 574.223 million shares valued at N4.861 billion traded in 7,794 deals; thus contributing 59.50 per cent and 39.03 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

The Conglomerates Industry followed with 246.783 million shares worth N 2.065 billion in 382 deals. The third place was The Consumer Goods Industry, with a turnover of 30.307 million shares worth N1.669 billion in 2,157 deals.

Trading in the top three equities namely UACN Plc, FBN Holdings Plc, and Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc (measured by volume) accounted for 378,555 million shares worth N3.266 billion in 14,802 deals, contributing 39.23% and 26.22 % to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

A total of 48,161 units of ETP valued at N587,154.04 were traded in the week in 15 deals compared with a total of 20 units valued at N231.30 transacted the upper week in 2 deals.

The Bonds sector traded a total of 12,047 units valued at N11.512 million in the week in 12 deals compared with a total of 15,560 units valued at N15.985 million transacted upper week in 11 deals.

However, analysts at Cordros Securities Limited said that “As the year draws to a close, we expect yield-seeking investors to take positions in stocks with attractive dividend yields ahead of the 2021 full year dividend declarations. We advise investors to take positions in only fundamentally justified stocks as the weak macro environment remains a significant headwind for corporate earnings.”

Also, Cowry Assets Management Limited said that “In the new week, we expect the local bourse to be bullish as investors’ position in dividend-paying stocks in the last three days of the trading session in 2021.”

“In the last trading week of the year, we expect the market to extend this week’s negative performance as investors rebalance their portfolio”, analysts at Afrinvest Limited said.