Financial Services Account for Nearly 79% of NGX Trading Volume in Holiday-Shortened Week

The Financial Services Industry tightened its grip on trading activity on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) last week, accounting for nearly 79 percent of all shares traded as investors continued to channel capital into banking and other financial stocks despite a shortened trading week.

According to the NGX Weekly Report for the week ended August 28, 2026, the Financial Services Industry recorded a turnover of 1.977 billion shares valued at N71.563 billion in 79,586 deals, representing 78.87 percent of total equity turnover by volume and 58.08 percent by value.

The figures underscore the sector’s overwhelming influence on market activity during the week with financial stocks accounting for almost four out of every five shares exchanged on the Nigerian Exchange.

The market operated for only four trading sessions after the Federal Government declared Tuesday, August 25, a public holiday to commemorate Eid el Maulud.

Despite the shorter trading week, investors traded a total of 2.507 billion shares worth N123.223 billion in 173,561 deals, compared with 6.242 billion shares valued at N157.764 billion exchanged in 186,496 deals during the previous week.

While overall trading activity declined, the Financial Services Industry maintained its dominance.

The sector’s leadership was reinforced by the week’s most actively traded equities.

Fortis Global Insurance Plc, Jaiz Bank Plc and First HoldCo Plc emerged as the three most traded stocks by volume, recording a combined turnover of 793.104 million shares valued at N26.898 billion across 14,758 deals.

Together, the three companies accounted for 31.64 percent of total market volume and 21.83 percent of total transaction value, highlighting the concentration of liquidity in financial stocks.

The performance of individual banking stocks also reflected strong investor appetite.

First HoldCo Plc ranked among the week’s top gainers after advancing 11.58 percent, while Access Holdings Plc appreciated 9.26 percent, extending the banking sector’s strong performance during the week.

Their gains contributed to the NGX Banking Index, which rose 2.89 percent, outperforming the benchmark NGX All-Share Index, which gained 0.81 percent during the same period.

Although financial stocks dominated trading, market participation remained selective.

Only 24 equities appreciated during the week, while 55 equities declined and 68 closed unchanged, indicating that the market’s advance was driven by a relatively small group of heavily traded stocks rather than broad-based buying across the Exchange.

Outside financial services, the Services Industry ranked second with 148.226 million shares worth N7.252 billion traded in 10,638 deals, while the ICT Industry followed with 117.982 million shares valued at N8.635 billion in 21,639 deals.

The sharp difference between the Financial Services Industry and every other sector illustrates the extent to which investors concentrated trading activity in financial stocks throughout the week.

The week’s trading reinforces an increasingly evident market trend: liquidity remains heavily concentrated in financial services.

With nearly 79 percent of all shares traded originating from the sector and banking stocks continuing to outperform the broader market, financial institutions remained the principal drivers of trading activity and investor participation on the Nigerian Exchange during the holiday-shortened week.