Expert endorses Unilever, PZ, Nestle, NB, others

Based on stock performance last week on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, capital market analysts have advised shareholders to channel their investments to the shares of Unilever Plc, PZ Cussons Industries Plc, which fall under the conglomerates, and Nigeria Breweries, for better return on investment.
An economist and fund manager, Mr. Oluwaseyi Ogunseye, said looking at the sectors that gained last week, and the gains garnered by the stocks in different sectors, it showed clearly that most of the stocks were competing favourably.
“The reason for this could also be attributed to the macroeconomic environment, stability in oil price and oil production, which had increased government’s liquidity and revenue, thereby reducing financial pressure on the market,” he said.
Ogunseye advised local investors to take advantage of Unilever, which recorded the highest price to lead the gainers’ table and appreciated by N1.40 when it closed at N37.50 per share. It is followed by PZ Cussons with a gain of N1.07 to close the week at N22.49, and Nestle Plc, which garnered N1.03 as it closed at N1, 251.03 per share.
Others are Nigerian Breweries, which rose by 65 kobo to close at N138.80, and FBN Holdings, which grew by 28 kobo as it closed at N6.90 per share.
Meanwhile, a total turnover of 2.804 billion shares, worth N54.776 billion, were traded last week, in 17,792 deals, by investors on the floor of the Exchange, in contrast to a total of 1.316 billion shares, valued at N13.784 billion, that exchanged hands the previous week in 19,169 transactions.
The Financial Services Industry (measured by volume) led the activity chart with 2.352 billion shares, valued at N8.995 billion, traded in 9,364 deals; thus contributing 83.88 per cent and 16.42 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.
The Consumer Goods Industry followed with 178.982 million shares, worth N16.849 billion, in 4,297 deals. The third place was occupied by Industrial Goods Industry, with a turnover of 140.570 million shares, worth N27.848 billion, in 794 deals.
Trading in the Top Three Equities, namely –Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc, FBN Holdings Plc and Dangote Cement Plc (measured by volume) – accounted for 1.917 billion shares, worth N29.875 billion, in 2,130 deals, contributing 68.37 per cent and 54.54 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value
respectively.
The NSE’s All-Share Index and Market Capitalisation depreciated by 1.12 per cent and 0.57 per cent to close the week at 36,703.58 and N12.774 trillion, respectively. Similarly, all other indices finished lower during the week with the exception of the NSE Oil/Gas Index that appreciated by 0.85 per cent.
Twenty equities appreciated in price during the week, lower than 30 of the previous week. Forty-three equities depreciated in price, higher than 29 equities of the previous week, while 108 equities remained unchanged, lower than 112 equities recorded in the preceding week.