Ghana Equity Watch | 27 July 2015: Market capitalization lost GHS 250 million to close at GHS 63,610 million

Accra, Ghana (Capital Markets in Africa):- The Ghanaian Stock Exchange (GSE) on Monday ended in red, so the market capitalization lost GHS 250 million to close at GHS 63,610 million relative to market capitalization of GHS 63,860 recorded at previous trading session.

The benchmark composite index down 11.9 points or 0.52 percent to close the day at 2,263.44 points, representing 0.11 percent year-to-date return. The financial Index also declined by 6.24 points or 0.27 percent to trade at 2,313.72 points with a year-to-date return of 3.12 percent.

From the market activity perspective, the total volume was 119,859 (a rise of about 160.23 percent from previous trading session total volume of 46,059 shares) and total traded value was GHS 138,258 (a reduction of about 40 percent compared with previous trading session value of GHS 230,459). Ecobank Ghana had 115,700 shares (almost 96.53 percent of the total volume) to value at GHS 125,208 (about 90.56 percent of the total value traded). Other most actively traded stocks were SOCIETE GENERALE Ghana (recorded 2,000 shares at GHS 1,812), ECOBANK Transnational Bank (recorded a volume of 800 shares valued at GHS 256), SIC Insurance (registered 600 shares valued at GHS 102) and Standard Chartered Bank Ghana (traded 430 shares with total value of GHS 8,291). The top five most actively traded stocks by volume accounted for almost 94 percent of the total volume and about 98 percent of the total value traded.

Looking at the price movers and shakers, out of the 7 traded securities via 35 transactions, one gainer and four laggards were recorded, so the market breath/sentiment ends negative. SIC Insurance surge to GHS 0.17 by gaining GHS 0.02 or 13.33 percent. The losers were Ecobank Transnational Bank dropped to GHS 0.01 from GHS 0.32 resulting to or 3.03 percent drops and CAL Bank Ghana went down by 1.82 percent to end at GHS 1.08. Likewise, Societe Generale plunged by 1.10 percent to end at GHS 0.90 and Standard Chartered Bank plummeted by 0.62 percent or 0.12 points to settle at GHS 19.28.

On the foreign exchange market front, the Ghanaian Cedi continued to drop against major trading currencies. The Cedi traded against the US dollar at GHS 3.2906 by depreciating by 0.38 percent and traded at GHS 3.6095 against the Euro by falling by 1.05 percent. The Cedi also lost value against Swiss franc to settle at GHS 3.4203 by losing 0.26 percent. However, the Ghanaian currency appreciated by 0.32 percent to close at GHS 5.1038 and by 1.42 percent to end at GHS 0.2607 against British pound and South Africa rand respectively.