Nigeria, Sept. 18 -- A spate of bearish trading sessions caused the size of trade in Nigerian stocks to diminish by as much as 40 per cent this week, also forcing it to its most depressed point since the second week of May.

Investors have had to contend with the double-headed bugbear of share depreciation and illiquidity for months on end, and the rates decision of the monetary authorities on Friday failed to take an expansionary stance or head the way that could effectively strengthen the market as the central bank chose to hold the benchmark interest rate again.

The outlook for stocks in the near time remains gloomy with no dramatic gains anticipated.

The all-share index edged up by 0.06 per cent and the market capitalisation by 0.05...