The Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) has had a turbulent start to the year, with both the GSE Composite Index and the GSE Financial Stock Index recording negative returns of 1.47% and 5.17%, respectively.
However, February saw the indices perform better, recovering some of the losses recorded earlier in the year.
One of the factors driving this improvement in performance was the strong financials posted by some of the listed companies. Additionally, the conclusion of activities surrounding the Domestic Debt Exchange program also played a role in boosting market sentiment.
Market activities picked up significantly in February when compared to the previous month, with a total of 6,136,508 shares traded at a value of GHS 24,407,843.29. However, this volume and value traded were both down by 80.27% and 7.65%, respectively, compared to the same period last year.
The top price gainers for the month of February were UNIL (19.60%), TOTAL (12.56%), MTNGH (12.20%), and BOPP (9.66%). These companies’ strong performance contributed to the overall improvement in the market.
Turning to the bond market, the GFIM closed the month with a volume traded of 9.17 billion, representing a decline of 52.50% compared to the same period in 2022. The year-to-date volume of 7,686,179 valued at GHS 31,078,477.93 represents a decrease of 88.30% and 51.98% compared to the same period last year.
However, the month closed with a total volume traded of 9.17 billion, representing a decline of 9.48% compared to the total volume trades in the month of January and a decline of 52.50% compared to the same period last year. The year-to-date volume traded of 19.19 billion was 46.00% less than the 35.96 billion traded in the same period last year.
Looking ahead, market observers will be keeping a close eye on both global and local developments that could impact the performance of the GSE. Factors such as rising inflation and interest rates, political instability, and global economic uncertainty could all have an impact on the exchange. As always, investors will need to exercise caution and carefully evaluate their options before making any investment decisions.
Source: norvanreports