The Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) All-Share Index closed the trading session on March 10, 2026, on a negative note, dropping 1,130.9 points to settle at 196,066.1. This represents a 0.57% decline from the previous close of 197,197.0, signaling a softening in market momentum.
As a result of the downturn, Nigeria’s market capitalization fell below the N126 trillion mark, closing at N125.8 trillion. The decline reflected broader losses across several sectors as investors pulled back amid cautious sentiment. Trading volume also dipped slightly, with 746.8 million shares exchanged across 65,275 deals, compared to 762 million shares in the prior session.
Despite the bearish trend, selective buying was observed in a few counters. Premier Paints and Conoil recorded impressive gains of 9.97% and 9.95%, respectively. Conversely, profit-taking led to sharp declines for Mutual Benefits Assurance and Nascon Allied, both falling by 10%. In trading volume, Access Holdings led with 80.2 million shares, followed by Mutual Benefits (52.6 million) and Fortis Global (41.3 million).
Among SWOOTs—stocks valued above N1 trillion—most counters were bearish. Wema Bank dropped 5.19%, Lafarge declined 4.76%, and MTN Nigeria slipped 2.15%. International Breweries bucked the trend, rising 2.04%. Similarly, FUGAZ stocks leaned bearish, with UBA down 1.17% and GTCO falling 0.85%, while Zenith Bank managed a slight 0.11% gain.
The market’s decline may continue if large-cap stocks keep retracing after testing the 197,000 level in the previous session. However, renewed buying interest in key counters could potentially reverse the bearish trend. This session marks the sharpest drop since February 24, when the NGX shed 1,779 points, highlighting the fragile sentiment among investors.
source: nairametrics