Economy
Demand for Ardova, Transcorp, Others Lifts Stock Market by 0.10%
By Dipo Olowookere
The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited rebounded by 0.10 per cent on Friday as investors went for Ardova, MRS Oil, Transcorp, UBA, and other stocks.
The growth posted by the stock market on the last trading session of the week was supported by most of the sub-sectors of the bourse, with the energy index rising by 1.36 per cent.
The insurance sector appreciated by 0.65 per cent, the banking counter improved by 0.22 per cent, and the industrial goods space went up by 0.02 per cent, while the consumer goods sector depreciated by 0.13 per cent.
When the market closed for the day, the All-Share Index (ASI) increased by 53.38 points to 52,214.62 points from 52,161.24 points, and the market capitalisation expanded by N29 billion to N28.431 trillion from N28.402 trillion.
Investors bought and sold 1.4 billion shares worth N11.0 billion in 5,527 deals, in contrast to the 477.4 million shares worth N5.2 billion traded in 5,539 deals on Thursday, indicating a decline in the number of deals by 0.22 per cent and a surge in the trading volume and value by 196.94 per cent and 111.54 per cent, respectively.
Fidelity Bank traded the highest volume of equities during the session with a turnover of 942.8 million units valued at N5.5 billion, Access Holdings exchanged 170.0 million units worth N1.7 billion, FBN Holdings sold 81.1 million units valued at N973.4 million, Aluminium Extrusion traded 36.1 million units for N234.3 million, and AXA Mansard transacted 24.6 million units valued at N60.9 million.
MRS Oil recorded the biggest price growth as its value rose by 9.93 per cent to N33.75, Academy Press jumped by 9.87 per cent to N1.67, Ikeja Hotel gained 9.86 per cent to finish at N1.56, Transcorp chalked up 9.75 per cent to close at N2.59, and Ardova increased by 9.09 per cent to N26.40.
On the flip side, C&I Leasing lost 9.86 per cent to quote at N3.20, Prestige Assurance depreciated by 9.76 per cent to 37 Kobo, Royal Exchange fell by 6.90 per cent to 54 Kobo, Courteville declined by 6.52 per cent to 43 Kobo, and Livestock Feeds shed 6.42 per cent to N1.02.
Economy
Operational Challenges Shrink Transcorp Power H1 2026 Earnings, Profit
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Transcorp Power Plc suffered declines in its revenue and profit in the first half of this year; details of the company’s financial statements for the period ended June 30, 2026, have revealed.
The losses were attributed to recurring transmission line vandalism, which materially constrained the organisation’s ability to evacuate available generation capacity.
Business Post reports that earnings contracted in the first six months of this year to N181.97 billion from the N205.81 billion recorded in the same period of last year, while profit before tax moderated to N54.99 billion from N58.73 billion.
However, on a year-to-date basis, total assets went up to N619.02 billion from N563.48 billion in December 2025, as shareholders’ funds grew to N189.34 billion from N183.40 billion in FY 2025, while retained earnings soared to N140.90 billion from N123.41 billion in FY 2025.
It was observed that the increase in receivables and borrowings largely drove the expansion in the balance sheet during the period.
Also, the firm’s gross margin expanded to 38.4 per cent from 34.7 per cent in H1 2025, operating margin increased to 30.6 per cent from 28.5 per cent, and PBT margin rose to 30.2 per cent from 28.5 per cent, reflecting cost optimisation efforts and disciplined financial management, positioning the company to continue delivering sustainable value for shareholders.
“Our H1 2026 performance is a reflection of the resilience of our business operations despite significant sector-wide existential challenges.
“Regrettably, recurring transmission line vandalisation materially constrained our ability to evacuate available generation capacity.
“Nonetheless, we continued to deliver strong profitability, maintain operational efficiency, and strengthen our balance sheet,” the chief executive of Transcorp Power, Mr Peter Ikenga, stated.
“We remain committed to working with relevant stakeholders to put an end to transmission line vandalisation and to further improving operational performance, power generation supply reliability, and creating sustainable value for our shareholders. We remain highly confident that we will recover lost ground in H1 2026 and finish FY 2026 stronger than FY 2025,” he added.
Economy
Market Participants Transact 2.819 billion Stocks Worth N182.5bn in Five Days
By Dipo Olowookere
A total of 2.819 billion stocks worth N182.499 billion exchanged hands in 226,729 deals on the floor of the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited last week, in contrast to the 3.648 billion stocks valued at N220.568 billion transacted in 251,861 deals a week earlier.
From this, financial shares accounted for 2.006 billion units sold for N99.697 billion in 96,171 deals, contributing 71.17 per cent and 54.63 per cent to the total trading volume and value, respectively.
Consumer goods equities traded 178.863 million units worth N7.872 billion in 26,637 deals, and energy stocks recorded a turnover of 151.237 million units valued at N38.309 billion in 16,879 deals.
First Holdco, FCMB, and Access Holdings accounted for 939.402 million units worth N57.673 billion in 19,051 deals, contributing 33.33 per cent and 31.60 per cent to the total trading volume and value, respectively.
Business Post reports that the performance indicators were mixed in the five-day trading week, as the All-Share Index (ASI) depreciated by 0.14 per cent to 243,462.13 points, while the market capitalisation appreciated by 0.39 per cent to N157.057 trillion.
All other indices finished higher except the main board, consumer goods, energy, Lotus II, industrial goods, growth, and sovereign bond indices, which fell by 1.54 per cent, 0.15 per cent, 0.11 per cent, 0.40 per cent, 6.26 per cent, 0.09 per cent, and 0.33 per cent, respectively, while the commodity index closed flat.
Forty-four shares gained weight in the week versus 60 shares of the preceding week, 35 equities depreciated versus 28 equities in the previous week, and 67 stocks closed flat versus 58 stocks of the earlier week.
The best-performing stock was First Holdco, which gained 38.66 per cent to trade at N95.95. Thomas Wyatt expanded by 27.16 per cent to N3.09, Fidelity Bank grew by 15.00 per cent to N21.85, Learn Africa grew by 14.44 per cent to N10.30, and UBA chalked up 10.98 per cent to close at N45.50.
The worst-performing stock was BUA Cement after giving up 18.99 per cent to quote at N275.60, Red Star Express shed 18.53 per cent to end at N20.00, International Energy Insurance declined by 15.27 per cent to N4.66, C&I Leasing dropped 13.28 per cent to N5.55, and PZ Cussons crashed by 10.06 per cent to N80.95.
Economy
CSCS Raises NASD Exchange by 0.04%
By Adedapo Adesanya
Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc kept the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange in the green territory by 0.04 per cent on Friday, July 16.
The securities depository company added N2.50 to its share price to settle at N95.14 per unit from the preceding session’s N92.64 per unit.
However, FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc slid during the session by N5.85 to N141.81 per share from N147.66 per share.
But when the bourse closed for the day, the market capitalisation increased by N1.08 billion to N2.593 trillion from N2.592 trillion, while the NASD Security Index (NSI) appreciated by 1.80 points to 4,320.67 points from 4,318.87 points.
During the session, the value of securities slid by 38.9 per cent to N63.5 million from N104.1 million, the volume of securities went down by 34.5 per cent to 1.2 million units from 4.8 million units, and the number of deals declined by 15.4 per cent to 33 deals from 39 deals.
Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) Plc was the most traded stock by value on a year-to-date basis, with 3.4 billion units valued at N8.4 billion, followed by Infrastructure Credit Guarantee (Infracredit) Plc with 2.3 billion units worth N6.5 billion, and CSCS Plc with 75.4 million units traded for N5.3 billion.
GNI Plc also ended the day as the most traded stock by volume on a year-to-date basis, with 3.4 billion units exchanged for N8.4 billion, followed by Infracredit Plc with 2.3 billion units sold for N6.5 billion, and Resourcery Plc with 1.1 billion units transacted for N415.7 million.


