2017 Q1 MARKET ROUNDUP: CAPITALISATION SHEDS N417.97BN, INDEX DOWN 5.1%
No doubt, the first quarter of 2017, which ended last Friday, was a bad one for the bulls on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange as it closed negative to finished its third consecutive quarter of down market on bearish sentiments, resulting from the socio-political instability, low confidence, weak macro-economic, lack of strategic economic reforms plan. The Federal Government only recently unveiled its much awaited Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, which has generated so much debate for and against, but waiting for implementation amidst cautious optimism on the side of analysts. Perhaps an even more significant draw-back is the failure of the government to get its 2017 budget or spending plan approved by the National Assembly, following which the Federal Government, on Friday announced an extension of the lifespan of the 2016 budget’s capital expenditure to the end of this month. Meanwhile, the composite NSE All Share Index for the first quarter of the year sh...