The bearish trend in the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) continued on Wednesday, as the market capitalisation dipped further by 0.54 percent.

Specifically, the capitalisation which opened at N9.62 trillion shed N52.24 billion to also dropped by the same margin, dipping by 2790.82 basis points to close at 44,933.11 point from 45,203.93 points.

Guinness Nigeria Plc recorded the highest share price loss, dropping by N1.15 to close at N114.23 per share from N115.38 at which it opened, followed by Nigeria Breweries Plc with a loss of N0.43 to close at N43.03 per share and Union Bank Nigeria Plc dipped by N0.41 to close at N41.17 per share.

Other share price loss include: Zenith Bank Plc N0.35, Cadbury Nigeria Plc N0.34, BOC Gases Nigeria Plc N0.27, First Bank of Nigeria Plc N0.26, Intercontinental Bank Plc N0.24, United Bank for Africa Plc N0.24, Afribank Nigeria Plc N0.21, and many others.

On the contrary, Ashaka Cement Nigeria Plc recorded the highest shares price gain rising by N0.79 to close at N30.98 per share from N30.19 per share at which it opened, Prestige Nigeria Plc followed with a gain of N0.39 to close at N8.30 per share and Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria Plc garnered N0.30 to close at N36.90 per share.

Other share shares price gainers include: Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc N0.21, International Energy Insurance Plc N0.14, Multiverse Resources Nigeria Plc N0.09, Goldlink Insurance Plc N0.02 among others.

Equity trading depreciated by 20.81 per cent as a turnover of 436.12 million shares valued at N2.84 billion was recorded in 8,707 deals.

The Banking sub-sector emerged the most active in the sectorial analysis accounting for 44.5 per cent of the market turnover with194.21 million shares valued at N1.97 billion in 4,127 deals. Spring Bank Plc recorded the highest patronage in the sub-sector trading 117.04 million shares valued at N654.26 million in 243 deals, Platinum Habib Bank followed with a turnover of 21.64 million shares valued at N338.27 million in 428 deals and Union Bank of Africa Plc recorded 11.29 million shares valued at N273.66 million in 380 deals.

The Insurance sub-sector followed on the sectorial analysis accounting for 64.4 per cent of the market turnover with 155.10 million shares valued at N182.57 million in 1.084 deals .

Investment and Allied Assurance Nigeria Plc recorded the highest transaction in the sub-sector, trading 110.71 million shares valued at N81.93 million in 165 deals, followed by Continental Reinsurance Plc with the exchange of 7.3 million shares valued at N22.9 million in nine deals and Regency Alliance Insurance Plc recorded 6.44 million shares valued at N9.01 million in 14 deals.