The benchmark NGX All-Share Index fell 0.66% to 245,362.26 points, with market capitalisation easing to N158.34 trillion. Decliners outnumbered advancers 45 to 17, and the NGX Banking Index shed 2.04% as investors continued to take profit following the market’s July rally. Against that backdrop, Sterling Financial was one of only 17 stocks to advance, ranking third among the day’s top gainers behind Legend Internet and Daar Communications. Sterling Financial reported profit after tax of N50.30 billion, up 20.4%, and profit before tax of N55.50 billion, up 21.9%. The Group’s balance sheet continued to expand, with total assets up 19.3% to N4.67 trillion and customer deposits up 21.1% to N3.62 trillion.