The Nigerian equities market extended its losing streak on Thursday, August 13, 2026, as continued selling pressure in consumer goods and selected large-cap stocks pushed the NGX All-Share Index down another 0.39%, wiping approximately N613.09 billion from investors’ wealth. The decline marked the fourth consecutive session of losses since the market’s record close on Monday, August 10, when the ASI peaked at 248,529.75 points and market capitalisation crossed N160 trillion. The NGX All-Share Index (ASI) fell to 243,017.38 points from 243,967.09 points on Wednesday, while market capitalisation dropped to N156.88 trillion from N157.49 trillion. Since Monday’s record close of N160.42 trillion, the market has now shed approximately N3.54 trillion in value, reflecting sustained profit-taking across major sectors. The market’s year-to-date return also moderated further to 56.17%, as investors continued to lock in gains following the strong rally recorded earlier in the year. Market summary:
All-Share Index (ASI): 243,017.38 points, down -0.39%. Market capitalization: N156.88 trillion, down from N157.49 trillion.
Market value lost: Approximately N613.09 billion. YTD market return: +56.17%.
Week-to-date decline from Monday peak: -2.22%. Total deals: 41,454. Trading volume: 4.24 billion shares, up 191.22%. Market turnover: N50.65 billion, up 141.92%. Market breadth: 27 stocks gained against 40 that declined. Top 5 Gainers:
International Energy Insurance: up 10.00% to N4.84, from N4.40. John Holt: up 9.89% to N10.00, from N9.10.
Trans-Nationwide Express: up 9.75% to N2.59, from N2.36. Sunu Assurances: up 8.48% to N3.58, from N3.30. NEM Insurance: up 6.25% to N34.00, from N32.00. Top 5 Losers:
Unilever Nigeria: down 9.97% to N118.30, from N131.40. Chellarams: down 9.66% to N10.75, from N11.90. Nigerian Infrastructure Debt Fund (NIDF): down 9.55% to N147.70, from N163.30. Daar Communications: down 9.25% to N1.57, from N1.73.
Cornerstone Insurance: down 9.09% to N5.00, from N5.50. Driving the numbers:
The market’s decline was driven primarily by continued weakness in consumer goods stocks, with Unilever Nigeria emerging as the biggest heavyweight drag. Unilever Nigeria plunged 9.97%, falling from N131.40 to N118.30 and losing N13.10 per share, extending the sharp selloff that has continued to weigh on the consumer goods sector. Chellarams also fell 9.66% to N10.75, while Nigerian Breweries declined 1.13% to N69.70, adding to pressure on the sector.
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Other large-cap stocks also contributed to the decline. Access Holdings dropped 3.28% to N26.50, Zenith Bank declined 2.24% to N122.00, while Transcorp fell 2.63% to N37.00. GTCO eased 0.39% to N128.00, while the broader banking sector remained under pressure despite gains in selected banking counters.
On the upside, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) emerged as the strongest blue-chip gainer, advancing 3.64% to N74.00 from N71.40. Fidelity Bank rose 2.33% to N22.00, Wema Bank gained 2.94% to N29.80, while UBA advanced 1.21% to N46.00. Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals also gained 6.21% to N8.55, providing additional support from the healthcare segment. Sector performance:
Sectoral performance remained largely negative, with Consumer Goods recording the sharpest decline. The NGX Consumer Goods Index fell 1.22% to 4,056.39 points from 4,106.48 points, extending the sector’s recent weakness. The NGX Industrial Index declined 0.75% to 10,379.12 points, while the Insurance Index fell 0.54% to 1,145.85 points.
The Banking Index declined 0.27% to 2,553.87 points, despite gains in ETI, Fidelity Bank, Wema Bank and UBA. The Oil & Gas Index edged down 0.07% to 5,234.92 points. Market breadth deteriorated significantly, with 40 decliners against 27 advancers, as selling pressure spread beyond the biggest losers to several major market counters.
Volume and value:
Trading activity strengthened considerably despite the continued decline in the benchmark index. Total volume traded surged 191.22% to 4.24 billion shares, while market turnover jumped 141.92% to N50.65 billion across 41,454 transactions. The increase in trading activity amid a declining market suggests that investors were actively repositioning portfolios as profit-taking intensified across major sectors. What you should know:
Thursday’s decline extends the NGX’s losing streak to four consecutive sessions, following the record ASI close of 248,529.75 points on Monday. The market has now lost approximately 5,512 points from Monday’s peak, while market capitalisation has declined by more than N3.54 trillion from its record N160.42 trillion level, about -2.2 percentage loss. The correction remains concentrated around major consumer goods and financial stocks, with Unilever’s near-10% decline emerging as the biggest heavyweight drag on Thursday.
However, gains in ETI, Fidelity Bank, Wema Bank and UBA indicate that buying interest has not completely disappeared, with investors continuing to rotate into selected banking, insurance and smaller-cap counters. The sharp increase in volume and turnover also points to heightened repositioning as investors lock in gains from the market’s strong 2026 rally. Going forward, the market’s ability to stabilise will depend largely on whether profit-taking in heavyweight consumer goods and banking stocks persists or whether renewed buying interest emerges in large-cap counters to halt the four-session decline.
