The Accra local bourse for the first half of 2021, has emerged the best stock market on the African Continent.
The Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) performed better than stock exchanges such as the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE) recording investment returns of 36.13 percent on appreciation of stock prices in dollar terms.
JSE and NSE recorded investment returns of 14 percent and 15.5 percent on appreciation of stock prices in dollar terms respectively.
| COUNTRY | STOCK EXCHANGE | RETURN |
| Ghana | GSE-CI | 36.13% |
| Uganda | USE ASI | 19.39% |
| Kenya | NSE ASI | 15.55% |
| South Africa | JSE ASI | 14.00% |
| Namibia | NSX 01 | 11.08% |
| Morocco | MASI | 10.99% |
| Zambia | LUSE ASI | 10.42% |
The recorded performance for H1 2021 follows a poor performance recorded for same period last year as investors diverted funds from the stock market into other safe haven assets such as gold due to the impact the Covid pandemic had on listed companies, thereby affecting share prices on the bourse and subsequently returns for investors.
Twelve (12) companies, for the first half of 2021 appreciated in value as compared to the six losers at the end of the first half of the year.
MTN Ghana maintained its impressive run as the biggest gainer on the Ghana Stock Exchange, recording about 87% return for shareholders. It is presently trading at 1.20 pesewas, far above its listing price. Other stocks that impressed during the first half of the year were Guinness Ghana Breweries (43.3%), Societe Generale (43.75%) and GCB Bank (33.33%).
Some losers were Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (-25%) and Access Bank (-20.50%).
At the end of June this year, the GSE’s market capitalization stood at Ghs 61.3 billion.
