The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) opened August on a positive note as renewed buying interest lifted the All-Share Index by 0.18 percent and added approximately N289 billion to the value of listed equities on Monday.
The NGX All-Share Index increased to 245,730.53 on August 3, 2026 from 245,283.68 recorded at the end of July, representing an increase of 446.85 points.
Equity market capitalisation rose to N158.615 trillion from N158.326 trillion at the previous close, translating to an increase of approximately N289 billion in investors’ wealth.
The advance provided an early recovery for the market after profit-taking dominated the final trading week of July.
The NGX had declined 0.84 percent in the week ended July 31 with 56 equities losing value against 33 gainers as investors locked in some of the substantial returns accumulated earlier in the month.
Despite the late correction, July remained strongly positive with the All-Share Index gaining 6.92 percent during the month and closing with a 57.62 percent year-to-date return.
Monday’s gain therefore suggests that investors returned to selected equities at the beginning of August rather than extending the broad selling pressure that characterised the latter part of the previous week.
Trading activity remained strong with investors exchanging 923.01 million shares worth N37.85 billion across 72,544 deals.
The number of transactions was particularly notable compared with the final week of July, when daily deals ranged from about 48,000 to 71,000.
Financial stocks continued to attract significant liquidity.
Access Holdings Plc emerged as the most actively traded equity, with 166.64 million shares valued at N4.42 billion changing hands during the session.
Honeywell Flour Mills followed with 93.55 million shares worth N1.64 billion, while Sterling Financial Holdings recorded 57.08 million shares valued at N455.4 million.
Universal Insurance accounted for 51.82 million shares worth N45.77 million, while Chams Holding Company completed the five most actively traded stocks with 33.79 million shares valued at N152.47 million.
The continued dominance of Access Holdings in trading activity follows the strong interest in financial stocks recorded throughout July.
The NGX Banking Index gained 22.10 percent in July, substantially outperforming the broader market’s 6.92 percent return as investors increased exposure to major financial institutions.
Price performance on Monday was led by Eterna Plc and Caverton Offshore Support Group, which both appreciated by the maximum 10 percent.
Eterna advanced from N33.00 to N36.30, while Caverton increased from N5.00 to N5.50.
Omatek Ventures followed with a 9.88 percent gain to N1.78, while newly listed AVA Capital extended its positive performance with a 9.70 percent increase to N9.05.
AVA Capital was listed by introduction on the Main Board of the Nigerian Exchange on July 31 at N7.50 per share. The stock ended that session at N8.25 before advancing further to N9.05 on Monday, representing a cumulative increase of approximately 20.7 percent from its listing price within two trading sessions.
Vitafoam Nigeria completed the leading gainers after advancing 7.90 percent from N179.80 to N194.00.
However, buying was not universal as investors continued to take profits in selected equities.
Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) led the decliners, falling 9.95 percent from N88.95 to N80.10.
Cadbury Nigeria declined 9.92 percent to N58.10, while Thomas Wyatt Nigeria dropped 9.82 percent to N3.95.
Wapic Insurance fell 9.80 percent to N2.30, while Critical Minerals Financing Corp declined 9.79 percent to N3.50.
The declines in Thomas Wyatt and Critical Minerals were particularly notable because both stocks ranked among the strongest performers during the preceding week.
Critical Minerals Financing Corp had gained 22.78 percent in the week ended July 31, while Thomas Wyatt advanced 20.66 percent.
Their sharp declines at the beginning of August therefore point to profit-taking after the substantial gains recorded in July.
Activity in exchange-traded products also remained positive.
NEWGOLD increased by N4,000 to N114,000, SIAMLETF40 rose N46.99 to N3,149.99 and MERVALUE gained N9 to N149.
GREENWETF increased to N926, while VETGRIF30 advanced to N110.98.
Selected bonds monitored during Monday’s session were unchanged, with ADV2028S1A and DAN2028S1TC remaining at N100, DIF2032S1TB at N20 and FG162049S2 and FG172050S2 holding at N104.99.
Monday’s performance provides an early indication that the late-July correction has not completely disrupted investor appetite for Nigerian equities.
The market entered August after an exceptionally strong July in which market capitalisation expanded substantially and banking stocks delivered outsized returns.
However, the sharp declines recorded by some of July’s strongest gainers also suggest that investors are becoming more selective.
With the ASI already up more than 57 percent in 2026, August trading is likely to remain shaped by a combination of corporate earnings, dividend announcements, portfolio repositioning and profit-taking following the substantial appreciation recorded during the first seven months of the year.
