The Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) marginally recorded a decline in the third week of the year as pressure on the local bourse continues to take away the spark from the market.

In all, the stock market declined by 0.18% at the end of the trading week; whilst trading volumes and values were however higher compared to the previous week’s levels.

BOPP ( 4.58%; GH¢8.00) was the only price gainer whiles Unilever Ghana (UNIL) ( 18.57%; GH¢2.85) was the biggest price laggard.

BOPP closed the trading week at GHS8.00 per share on the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE), recording a 35 pesewa gain over its previous closing price of GHS7.65.

Benso Oil Palm Plantation began the year with a share price of GHS7.65 and has since gained 4.58% on that price valuation, ranking it second on the GSE in terms of year-to-date performance.

Benso Oil Palm Plantation is the 10th most traded stock on the Ghana Stock Exchange over the past three months (Oct 19, 2022 – Jan 20, 2023). BOPP has traded a total volume of 111,596 shares valued at GHS 795,635 over the period, with an average of 1,771 traded shares per session. A volume high of 20,000 was achieved on October 20, 2022 for the same period.

Benso Oil Palm Plantation Ltd is a Ghanaian oil palm plantation company based at the Adum Banso Estate in Takoradi and currently the 20th most valuable stock on the GSE with a market capitalization of GHS 278 million, which is about 0.431% of the Ghana Stock Exchange equity market.

On the other hand, Unilever Ghana Limited (UNIL) closed its last trading week at GHS2.85 per share on the Ghana Stock Exchange from its previous closing price of GHS3.15. Unilever began the year with a share price of GHS3.88 but has since lost 26.6% off that price valuation, ranking it 38th on the GSE in terms of year-to-date performance.

Unilever Ghana is the 24th most traded stock on the Ghana Stock Exchange over the past three months (Oct 19, 2022 – Jan 20, 2023). UNIL has traded a total volume of 11,439 shares valued at GHS 40,547 over the period, with an average of 182 traded shares per session. A volume high of 2,849 was achieved on January 19, 2023 for the same period.

Performance on the Final day of the week

At the end of the final weekday of trading on the Ghana Stock Exchange, a total of 318,278 shares, corresponding to a market value of GHS 1,162,666.59, were traded.

GCB Bank recorded the highest volume of 262,620 traded shares, followed by CAL Bank (45,229), Clydestone Ghana (6,635) and MTN Ghana (3,241).

In the aggregate, 13 GSE listed equities participated in trading, ending with disappointingly two losers, namely, CAL Bank (-3.33%) and NewGold ETF (-1.3%).

CAL closed its trading day (Friday, January 20, 2023) at GHS0.58 per share on the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE), recording a 2 pesewa drop from its previous closing price of GHS0.60. CAL began the year with a share price of GHS0.65 but has since lost 10.8% off that price valuation, ranking it 37th on the GSE in terms of year-to-date performance.

CAL Bank is the sixth most traded stock on the Ghana Stock Exchange over the past three months (Oct 19, 2022 – Jan 20, 2023). CAL has traded a total volume of 518,637 shares valued at GHS 337,680 over the period, with an average of 8,232 traded shares per session. A volume high of 137,027 was achieved on January 11, 2023 for the same period.

NewGold ETF (GLD) closed its trading day (Friday, January 20, 2023) at GHS246.75 per share on the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE), recording a GHS4.75 drop from its previous closing price of GHS250.00. NewGold ETF began the year with a share price of 217.80 GHS and has since gained 13.3% on that price valuation, ranking it first on the GSE In terms of year-to-date performance. Shareholders can be optimistic about GLD knowing the stock has accrued an outstanding 55% over the past four-week period alone— best on GSE.

NewGold ETF is the third most traded stock on the Ghana Stock Exchange over the past three months (Oct 19, 2022 – Jan 20, 2023). GLD has traded a total volume of 1.02 million shares valued at GHS 204 million over the period, with an average of 16,188 traded shares per session. A volume high of 545,125 was achieved on December 13, 2022 for the same period.

Regarding the performance of GSE market indices, the benchmark GSE Composite Index (GSE-CI) pared 1.20 (-0.05%) points to close at 2,434.44, representing a 1-week loss of 0.18%, a 4-week loss of 0.61%, and an overall year-to-date loss of 0.39%.

The GSE Financial Stocks Index (GSE-FSI) also decreased by 0.11% to 2,044.98 points, making it a 1-week loss of 0.11%, a 4-week loss of 0.82%, and a year-to-date loss of 0.37%.