Nigeria, Sept. 22 -- Nigerian stocks encountered more strain on Wednesday as the benchmark index slowed 0.05 per cent to its lowest point in more than six weeks and trading activity remained subdued, stoking fears that the turning point needed for the market to reverse its negative year-to-date yield is not yet in the horizon.

Equity investors have been desperate since the week began to get rid of bank stocks at all cost, causing a glut of sales orders that is weakening their valuation and, by extension, the broad performance of stocks.

Sell-offs in Access, UBA, GTCO and Zenith were particularly damaging to performance, with investment bank United Capital leading the retreat.

Market breadth, often used to weigh investors' attitude to t...