BRVM slips 0.35% as Sonatel and Ecobank dominate H1 narrative
The BRVM Composite fell 0.35% to 492.16 points and the BRVM Composite Total Return lost 0.19% to 197.02 points, while the BRVM-30 dropped 0.55% to 234.24 points. The decline was led by financials, down 1.27% to 237.89 points, despite Ecobank’s 15% revenue growth to $1.3 billion and first-half 2026 pre-tax profit of $423 million, according to leFaso.net and Sika Finance, with earnings still constrained by Nigerian risk costs, according to Agence Ecofin. By contrast, utilities rose 1.85% to 235.31 points and telecommunications added 0.51% to 115.49 points, as Sonatel accounted for more than half of the 4 billion CFA francs traded on Aug. 4, according to Sika Finance, after first-half revenue topped 1 trillion CFA francs and profit reached 230 billion CFA francs, according to Xalima and Sika Finance. Sonatel also aims for 1 million fiber-eligible customers by end-2026 and is positioning its second half around 5G, digital services and AI, reported Socialnetlink and La Tribune, while SITAB went ex-dividend at 1,707.2 CFA francs on Aug. 12, according to analyst reports.
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The BRVM Composite rose 0.69% to 493.9 points on Aug. 11, while the BRVM Principal gained 1.3% to 375.43 and the BRVM-30 added 0.66% to 235.53. The advance was driven by industrials, up 1.91% to 216.84, utilities, up 1.72% to 231.04, and financials, up 1.04% to 240.95, while energy fell 0.45% to 162.43. Financial stocks drew support from Ecobank, whose first-half 2026 revenue rose 15% to $1.3 billion and pretax profit reached $423 million, according to leFaso.net, although net income of CFA167 billion was held back by risk costs, according to Sika Finance and Agence Ecofin. In telecoms, the sector index edged up just 0.12% to 114.9 despite Sonatel accounting for more than half of the CFA4 billion traded on Aug. 4, according to Sika Finance, after first-half revenue topped CFA1 trillion and profit reached CFA230 billion, Xalima and Sika Finance reported. Corporate actions also shaped the session, with 4 capital increases announced on Aug. 11 for Bank of Africa ML, BN, SN and BF, while SITAB goes ex-dividend at CFA1,707.2 on Aug. 12 and a notice flagged the suspension of the TPCI.O77 bond.
BRVM rises 1.04%, lifted by Sonatel and energy up 2.67%
The BRVM Composite rose 1.04% to 490.51 on Aug. 10, while the BRVM-30 gained 1.2% to 233.99, with energy leading at 2.67% and industrials up 2.42%. Sonatel drove trading after accounting for more than half of the 4 billion CFA francs exchanged on Aug. 4, according to Sika Finance, following what SenePlus called a historic half year with revenue above 1 trillion CFA francs, according to Xalima, and first-half profit of 230 billion CFA francs, according to Sika Finance. Ecobank underpinned financials, where the sector index rose 0.99% to 238.48, with first-half revenue up 15% to $1.3 billion and pre-tax profit at $423 million, according to leFaso.net, while Sika Finance said net income reached 167 billion CFA francs, held back by risk costs. On the corporate front, 4 capital increase notices were published on Aug. 10 for Bank of Africa units in Benin, Mali, Senegal and Burkina Faso, while SITAB will trade ex-dividend at 1,707.2 CFA francs on Aug. 12, according to analyst reports.