Profit taking: NSE All-Share Index loses 0.24%

Activities on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) nosedived on Thursday with the All-Share Index dropping by 0.24 per cent amid profit taking.
The index shed 87.43 points or 0.24 per cent to close at 37,051.54 compared to 37,138.97 achieved on Wednesday.
Also, the market capitalisation, which opened at N12.853 trillion, lost N30 billion to close at N12.823 trillion due to price loss by some blue chips.
Dangote Cement topped the losers’ table, dropping by N1.99 to close at N229.01 per share.
Nigerian Breweries trailed with a loss of 89k to close at N143 and NASCON dipped 63k to close at N15.35 per share.
Zenith International Bank was down by 48k to close at N25.10, while Dangote Sugar depreciated by 21k to close at N15.25 per share.
On the other, Mobil Oil led the gainers’ table with a gain of N11.99 to close at N165 per share.
International Breweries followed with a gain of N3.79 to close at N48.99 and
Forte Oil increased by N2 to close at N42 per share.
Presco also garnered N2 to close at N66, while 7UP advanced by 60k to close at N88 per share.
In the same vein, the volume of shares traded closed lower as investors bought and sold 175.75 million shares worth N3.52 billion exchanged in 3,357 deals.
This was in contrast with a turnover of 193.48 million shares valued at N1.81 billion transacted in 3,904 deals on Wednesday.
The banking equities maintained its leadership as the most traded with Guaranty Trust Bank emerging toast of investors, exchanging 34.18 million shares worth N1.44 billion.
Fidelity Bank followed accounting for 28.99 million shares valued at N48.12 million, while FBN Holdings traded 19.99 million shares worth N142.79 million.
FCMB Group sold 10.65 million shares valued at N12.63 million and Diamond Bank exchanged 9.51 million shares worth N11.18 million.