The stock market recorded improved performance when compared with the preceding month. A turnover of 7.8 billion shares worth N40.15 billion in 131,419 deals was recorded this month, in contrast to a total of 6.44 billion shares valued at N37 billion exchanged during February in 150,689 deals. Trading volume and value rose by 21.15% and 8.53%, respectively when compared with the preceding month. Consequently, total turnover during the first quarter of the year was 19.03 billion shares valued at N106.91 billion. In the comparable period in 2008, 68.55 billion units valued at N990.42 billion were traded.

The Banking subsector was the most active (measured by turnover volume) with traded volume of 4.8 billion shares valued at N29.62 billion exchanged in 71,611 deals while the Insurance subsector was second with traded volume of 1.7 billion shares valued at N1.6 billion exchanged in 11,500 deals. The Information Communication and Technology subsector came third with transaction volume of 332.64 million shares valued at N527.5 million traded in 1,777 deals.

Intercontinental Bank Plc was the most active stock with transaction volume of 1.7 billion shares followed by Investment and Allied Assurance Plc with 593.2 million shares while First Inland Bank Plc placed third with 472.71 million shares. See Table 8 for the list of the most active stocks. Summarily, the 10 most active stocks accounted for 4.7 billion shares or 59.9% of the total shares traded during the month. The table showed that seven Banks, two Insurance Companies and one Company from the ICT subsectors made up the Top 10 actively traded stocks during the month