Movers & Shakers: January 14, 2014

Botswana: DCI +0.10%, USD 1.68m

A large cross of 6m Letshego helped boost activity today as value traded amounted to USD 1.68m. Unfortunately there was not much on the go apart from the Letshego cross.

Egypt: EGX 30 +1.11%, USD 147m

The market continued it's bullish momentum despise skirmishes between voters in today's referendum on the constitution. The EGX30 ended the day up 1.11% to close at 7,196.04 points. The market continued to trade outstanding volumes, with a total turnover of USD 147m. The market continued to show its strength mainly lead by international institutions along with local retail who ended the day as notable buyers targeting names such as TMGH, GTHE, and OTMT leaving each to end the day up 3.89%, 2.44%, and 8.05% respectively. Local institutions traded the day as net sellers targeting names such as AIND, ESRS, and EKHO leaving each to end the day down 2.25%, 1.19%, and 1.12% respectively.

Kenya: NSE 20 +0.12%, USD 8.0m

Activity picked up in Nairobi as value traded amounted to USD 8.0m. Foreign selling in EABL (-0.70%) drove the counter lower as a total of 576k shares traded in the brewer thanks to a few large crosses. Foreigners dominated both sides of Equity Bank ($1.63m) as the counter closed unchaged at KES 33.75. Kenya Commercial Bank ($1.11m) was also rather active as foreigners (90.8%) dominated sales in the bank today. The MPC held the benchmark rate at 8.5%. The MPC noted that the monetary policy measures adopted continued to support a low and stable inflation as well as exchange rate stability.

Mauritius: Semdex -0.20%, USD 2.64m

It was an extremely active day in Port Louis as value traded amounted to USD 2.64m thanks to crosses in the usually very illiquid Innodis as 438k shares changed hands. MCB and SBM were also rather active as 77k shares and 12.67m shares traded in the names respectively. The two banks however experienced mixed fortunes as MCB gained 0.12% while SBM fell 0.95%. Activity also increased in NMH today as 73k shares traded.

Nigeria: Market closed for the day.

South Africa: Top 40 -0.16%, USD 1.24bn

The JSE ended the day lower with the Top 40 Index falling 0.16% to close at 41,203 while value traded amounted to USD 1.24bn. Financials were the day's biggest losers with the Index falling 0.70% followed by Industrials which fell 0.09% while Resources gained 0.19%. The Rand was trading at 10.81 and 14.78 to the USD and EUR respectively by the time local markets closed.

Zimbabwe: Industrials -0.02%, Mining +1.93%, USD 2.49m

The ZSE ended lower, shedding 0.02% to close at 204.14pts in a session in which aggregate demand remained solid. Despite sustained demand in both Delta and Econet the two market heavies traded lower easing -0.7% and -0.79% to 142c and 63c respectively. The duo remains the most sought after stocks on the ZSE with a 30 day 100% demand profile. In today’s session Econet contributed 68% to the overall value traded to become the top contributor followed by Delta at 13%. Huge blocks continue to be exchanged in the telecoms company with today block of 2.68m shares bringing its overall 5 day volume traded to 10.9m shares at a total value of $6.9m which is 46% of the overall value trades in the same period. The minings gained 1.93% on a 25% recovery in Falgold to 5c.

African Currencies