Ghana Equity Markets | 31 Aug 2015: Ghana equity indices lower and investors’ value US$1 down

Accra, Ghana, Capital Markets in Africa — On Monday, the equity market capitalization ended at GHS 63,772 million after losing GHS 4 million (about US$1 million) relative to market capitalization of GHS 63,776 million recorded at previous trading session.

The benchmark composite index dropped by marginally 0.66 points or 0.03 percent to close the day at 2,154.77 points, representing a year-to-date performance 0f -4.70 percent. In the same mood, financial Index narrowly dipped by 0.71 points or 0.03 percent to trade at 2,138.86 points with a year-to-date return of -4.67 percent.

From the market activity perspective, the total volume was 526,827 (an increase of about 5.10 percent from previous trading session total volume of 501,775 shares) and total traded value was GHS 638,364 (rise by 28.20 percent compared with previous trading session value of GHS 497,954). UT Bank had 204,000 shares (almost 38.72 percent of the total volume) to value at GHS 20,400 (about 3.20 percent of the total value traded). Other most actively traded stocks were Enterprise Group (recorded 128,500 shares at GHS 282,700), Ghana Oil (recorded a volume of 114,362 shares valued at GHS 217,027), Starwin Products(registered 30,000 shares and  valued at GHS 900) and Produce Buying Company (traded 20,000 shares with total value of GHS 2,000). The top five most actively traded stocks by volume accounted for almost 94 percent of the total volume and about 82 percent of the total value traded.

Looking at the price movers and shakers, out of the 17 traded securities via 132 transactions, two gainers and two losers were recorded, so the market breath/sentiment ended neutral. Produce Buying Company ended at GHS 0.11 after losing GHS 0.01 or 9.09 percent and Ecobank Ghana plunged by 0.12 percent to end at GHS 8.05. On the other hand, Fan Milk Limited (added 0.50 percent at GHS 5.95) and Unilever Ghana (surged by 0.14 percent or GHS 0.01 to close at GHS 7.40).

On the foreign exchange market front, the Ghanaian Cedi ended stronger against major trading currencies. The Cedi traded against the US dollar at GHS 4.0456 by adding 0.53 percent and traded at GHS 4.5446 against the Euro after surging by 0.38 percent. The Cedi also gained value against Swiss franc to settle at GHS 4.2113 by gaining 0.02 percent. Ghanaian currency added 0.72 percent to close at GHS 6.2154 and surged by 1.20 percent to end at GHS 0.3054 against British pound and South Africa rand respectively.