NSE All-Share index fell by 1.55%.

Profit-taking activities dominated the equities segment of the Nigerian Stock Exchange on Wednesday, halting a run of positive performances     .

At the close of trading, the market capitalisation of the listed equities dipped by N163bn or 1.55 per cent to close at N10.300tn, as against the 0.51 per cent appreciation that lifted it to N10.463tn the previous day.

The NSE All-Share Index also fell by 1.55 per cent or 486.11 basis points from 31,355.28 basis points to 30,869.17 basis points. Its year-to-date return now stands at -10.93 per cent.

Generally, it was a bad day for the Exchange as apart from the NSE Alternative Securities Market Index, which closed flat at 1,212.94 basis points, all other indicators declined.

For instance, the NSE 30 Index, which measures the performance of the 30 biggest stocks on the Exchange, was down by 2.02 per cent to 1,413.74 basis points.

Also, the NSE Banking Index, which had put in strong performances in recent times, fell by 2.9 per cent from 368.83 basis points to 358.12 basis points as big cap stocks such as Guaranty Trust Bank Plc and Zenith Bank Plc edged lower.

The banking sub-sector sustained its dominance of the activity chart accounting for 35.2 per cent of the 518.883 million shares worth N3.855bn that were traded in 5,469 deals.

In the sub-sector, 182.468 million stocks valued at N2.235bn were exchanged by investors in 1,888 deals.

Volume in the sub-sector was driven by trading in the shares of Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank, Zenith Bank, Fidelity Bank Plc and Access Bank Plc.

A total of 19 stocks recorded price appreciation, 30 stocks recorded price depreciation.

UBA Capital Plc led the gainers with a 9.49 per cent or 15 kobo share price appreciation, which saw it close at N1.73 per share.

Caverton Offshore Support Group Plc and Ashaka Cement Plc rose by 4.98 per cent and 4.97 per cent to close at N2.95 and N18.9 per share, respectively, while Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc appreciated by 4.90 per cent to close at N3 per share.

On the other hand, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc and Forte Oil Plc led the losers with a five per cent drop each to close at N2.66 and N192.86 per share.

They were followed by NCR (Nigeria) Plc and Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, which fell by 4.99 per cent and 4.98 per cent to close at N12.19 and N10.50 per share, respectively.

Guaranty Trust Bank Plc and Zenith Bank Plc were also among the losers, shedding 4.98 per cent and 4.97 per cent to close at N24.23 and N20.67 per share in that order.