Despite the one-day public holiday to commemorate Democracy Day on Friday, equity transactions re-opened in an upbeat yesterday, following trading in the shares of major blue chip companies, thus pushing the indices further by 3.4 per cent.

Specifically, at the close of trading yesterday, 90 stocks appreciated in price, led by one of the petroleum marketing giants, African Petroleum Plc, with 350 kobo, to close at N89.00 per share. Guinness Nigerian Plc followed, adding 350 kobo, to close at N122.00 per share.

Other major gainers of yesterday's transaction include Nestle Nigeria Plc, UACN Nigeria Plc, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Flour Mills Plc, Cap Nigeria Plc and Nigerian Bottling Company Plc, adding 245 kobo,191 kobo, 180 kobo, 176 kobo and 163 kobo, to close at N180.00, N40.23, N37.90, N37.14, N 34.3 and N28.35 per share.

On the other side, 15 stocks constituted the loser's table, with Benue Cement Company Plc emerging the day's highest price loser, shedding 135 kobo, to close at N35.30per share, while Nigerian Breweries Plc followed with 79 kobo, to close at N49.51per share.

Morison Nigeria Plc, JohnHolt plc, GlaxoSmithKline Plc and DN Meyer Plc also lost 75 kobo, 60 kobo, 51 kobo and 46 kobo, to close at N14.36, N11.37, N18.00 and N8.93 per share.

Meanwhile, Corporate Performance indices, the All-share index of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), rose by 1045.5 points or 3.4 per cent, from 29,700.24 recorded when the market closed for the week on Thursday to 30,745.74 yesterday, while market capitalisation increased by N200 billion or 2.8 per cent, from N6.7 trillion to N6.9 trillion.

On the activity chart, the banking sub-sector maintained its dominance in volume terms with 193. 7 million shares, worth N2.6 billion in 2,791deals, while the insurance sub-sector followed with 69.4 million units, worth N67.8 million in 405 deals. The information communication & telecommunications sub-sector ranked third with 18.8 million units, valued at N42.5 million in 23 deals.

United Bank for Africa Plc dominated in volume terms in the banking sub-sector with 4 9. 8 million shares, worth N837.7 million in 499 deals, while Access Bank Plc followed with 43.1 million units, valued at N457.9 million in 293 deals.

The insurance sub-sector was boosted with activity in the shares of Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc and Investment and Allied Assurance Plc, with 21.9 million shares and 21.1 million units, worth N28.1 million and N10.5 million in 11 and 18 deals.

The information communication & telecommunication sub-sector was energised by activity in the shares of Chams Nigeria Plc, which traded 11.3 million units worth N15 million in 10 deals.