Benchmark Index advances as MTN dominates trading activity

Market Summary

The benchmark index advanced by 6.91 points (+0.31%) this week, closing at 2,203.63 with a -2.37% year-to-date return on the back of gains in three insurance, telecom and banking counters while the market capitalization increased by 0.13% to GH¢56.63 billion.

Enterprise Group (-2.44%) and Ecobank Ghana (-1.14%) tumbled the GSE Financial Index by 5.06 points (-0.25%) to settle at 2,012.78 with a -0.34% year-to-date return amid gains in SIC Insurance (+12.50%), and Standard Chartered (+0.21%).

The SAS Manufacturing Index declined by 34.75 points (-1.06%) to close at 3,231.17 with a year-to-date return of -7.19% due to Guinness Ghana (-4.14%) and Fan Milk (-0.24%).

This week’s trading activity strengthened as 4,621,673 shares valued at GH¢3,130,797 changed hands compared to 2,481,186 shares valued at GH¢2,078,982 last week. MTN Ghana dominated trades by volume and value for the fifth successive week, accounting for 88.21% of total volume traded and 87.42% of the total value traded.

We expect trading activity to pick up as investors await earnings announcements.