Egypt Equity Markets | 31 Dec 2015: Egypt Equity Market loses EGP 70bn, EGX 30 index 21.5% lower in 2015,

Cairo, Egypt, Capital Markets in Africa — Egypt Exchange equity trading ended in a positive mood at the end of today’s session, the last trading session in 2015. The equity market capitalization added nearly EGP 1.1 billion (about US$140.96 million) to end at EGP 429.79 billion (on the purchases of the local retail investors) relatively to the previous market capitalization of EGP 428.689 billion.  The Egypt equity market was battered during 2015, amid political and economic crises, as a result, the market capitalization lost about EGP 70.2 billion in 2015 compared to a gain of EGP 73.2 billion in 2014 (the market capitalization settled at EGP 500.0 billion and EGP 426.8 billion at the end of 2014 and 2013 respectively).  

The benchmark index EGX30 gained 25.00 points or 0.36 percent to close at 7,006.01 points.  The local market benchmark index depreciated 21.52 percent in 2015 relative to a gain of 31.2 percent in 2014. However, the equal-weighted indexes EGX50 fell by 0.29 percent or 3.52 points to trade at 1,200.54 points (a year-to-date performance of -33.27 percent).

EGX70 index, which measures small and mid-cap index, sagged by 0.07 percent or 0.07 points to end at 378.69 points, with a -33.03 percent return in 2015. On the other hand, the broader index EGX100 rose by 0.12 percent or 0.94 points to close at 790.57 points, with a -27.50 percent performance in 2015. The EGX20 capped index edged down by 0.15 percent or 10.75 points to close at 7,074.59 points and year-to-date performance of -29.47 percent.

From market activity viewpoint, today turnover was recorded at EGP 467.102 million exchanged in 197,014,205 traded securities in 20,137 deals. Out of the 171 traded stocks today, there were 60 price gainers and 87 price losers which bring the market breath to end in the negative zone.

The price gainers were National Company for Maize Products grew by 9.09 percent to end the trading sessions at EGP 16.32 and Delta Insurance advanced by 8.35 percent with a closing price of EGP 5.97. Arab Ceramics gained 7.87 percent to end at EGP 3.84. Alexandria National Company for Financial Investment also added 5.76 percent to settle at EGP 11.38 and Egyptian Iron & Steel added 5.37 percent to close at EGP 4.32.

On the losers’ zone, Minapharm Pharmaceuticals dropped 8.58 percent to close at EGP 30.36; Assiut Islamic Trading lost 7.93 percent to end at EGP 5.34and Al Arafa for Investment & Consultancies dipped by 6.25 percent with a closing price of US$ 0.15. Equally, Reacap Financial Investment and Sabaa International sagged by 5.71 percent to end at EGP 2.31 and depreciated by 5.19 percent to trade at EGP 5.66 respectively.

On the final note, Healthcare & Pharmaceutical sector index gained 2.02 percent to end at 2,347.48 (-10.03.38 percent year-to-date return)and Chemical grew by 0.66 percent to close at 596.39 (-27.85 percent year-to-date). Banks sector index added 1.13 percent or 30.935.67 points to close at 3,203.65 points (-2.31 percent year-to-date). Basic resources sector index declined by 1.09 percent to settle at 392.69 points (-36.61 percent year-to-date) but Food & Beverages advanced by 1.57 percent to end at 1,235.52 points (-17.49 percent year-to-date return). Construction & Materials surged by 1.75 percent to trade at 1,223.66 points (-40.15 percent year-to-date) and Industrial Goods & Services lower by 0.34 percent at 967.81 (-20.93 percent year-to-date return). Travel & Leisure sector index fell by 0.73 percent to end at 163.80 points (-39.37 percent year-to-date return) and Real Estate slumped by 0.24 percent to conclude at 1,215.14 points (-23.22 percent year-to-date return). Telecommunications rose by 0.19 percent to close at 290.50 points (-46.97 percent year-to-date return) and Financial Services excluding Banks edged down by 0.47 percent to end at363.34 points (-39.38 percent year-to-date return).  Personal & Household Products fell by 0.18 percent with a closing level of 707.91 points and depreciated by 25.87 percent in 2015.