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REVIEW OF STOCK MARKET PERFORMANCE HALF YEAR 2009

INTRODUCTION:

The market continued to witness low trading volumes during the first half of 2009.

Aside the global economic crisis, the low activities can also be attributed to the somewhat slow process of immobilization of share certificates into the new depository system. This has to some extent slowed down activities as only shares in the depository are allowed to trade. It is expected that the trend will change when more investors dematerialize their paper certificates and the Ghanaian economic climate improves.

MARKET PERFORMANCE

Index
The GSE All-Share Index recorded a decrease of 48.00% to end the half year of 2009 at 5,423.98points. This is in sharp contrast to the 55.77% gain recorded during the same period in 2008. This means that during the half year to June 2009, the GSE All-Share Index was significantly below the interest equivalent on 91 day Treasury bills of 25.49%.

Turnover
Turnover recorded for the period under review was significantly lower than that for the same period in 2008. The half year to June, 2009 recorded a total volume of 41.47million shares valued at GH¢37.69million compared with a volume and value of 189.08million shares and GH¢196.53m respectively for the same period in 2008.

Active Shares
The ten most actively traded equities for the period January to June, 2009 contributed to total volume and values of trades recorded on the market. In volume terms, GCB continued to lead the pack contributing 28.87% to total volume traded, followed by SCB and CAL with 22.40% and 13.7% respectively. BOPP was fourth with 10.15% while FML, ETI, AYRTN, UNIL, SIC and UT, followed in that order with between 6% and 1% of total volume traded.

In value terms, SCB led the half year with a contribution of 39.33% to total value traded followed by GCB and UNIL with 24.87% and 9.04% respectively. Other companies including CAL, PZ, BOPP, FML, ETI and GGBL contributed between 5.74% and 0.99% to total value traded.

Market Capitalization
Market capitalization at the end of June, 2009 was GH¢15,279.49m (approx. US$10,465.40m) compared with GH¢15,587.76m (approx. US$15,133.74m) at the end of June 2008.

DEPOSITORY

The process of immobilizing share certificates into the GSE Securities Depository system continued to be vigorously pursued by the Exchange. The GSE Securities Depository Company Ltd (GSD) and the Exchange during the period under review consulted and collaborated with stakeholders, particularly Registrars, Dealers and Listed Companies in this regard. It is expected that the evidence of the positive results of the GSE automation will soon be significant as a good number of share certificates are deposited in depository accounts by existing shareholders and new accounts are opened by potential investors.

To facilitate this programme, all listed companies at their respective AGMs passed resolutions as directed by the Exchange to amend their company regulations in order to allow for the conversion of paper certificates into electronic securities. The Exchange and the GSD had the opportunity at these AGMs to speak to shareholders on the benefits of the Depository. So far the top ten with respect to the level of dematerialized securities are:

OUTLOOK

Although the impact of the global financial crisis is being felt in the Ghanaian economy, recent attention on Ghana from the international community as a result of the country’s relatively stable political environment in the sub-region, the visit by the US president, President Barack Obama and Government’s effort aimed at greater economic stability are indications that opportunities still abound for wealth creation and stability augurs well for both existing and potential investors on the stock market. Analysts also believe that the Exchange’s performance in this first half of the year presents an opportunity for stock market investments as shares are relatively cheaper at current prices.