Movers & Shakers: January 24, 2012

Botswana: DCI -0.01%, Vols USD 3.6m

The Gaborone bourse was characterised by increased activity today with turnover increasing to USD3.6m compared to USD 52k yesterday. FNBB accounted for 41% of the day's turnover with 4,224,189 shares trading in the name at 263t. Primetime saw 2,927,128 shares cross the floor at 183t, accounting for 20% of the turnover. 486,813 Barclays traded at 690t. Letlole was unchanged at 115t on 3,456,848 shares. NAP also ended the day flat at 220t with 1,298,250 shares trading.

BRVM: BRVM Comp -0.36%, BRVM 10 -0.31%, Vols USD 97k

The market ended the day in the red with the BRVM Comp down 0.36% at 141.07pts and the BRVM 10 down 0.31% at 162.97pts. Nestle led the losers ending the day down 7.50% at XOF44,400. CFAO CI and Sonatel traded 1.25% and 0.81% lower at XOF 15,800 and XOF 122,000 respectively. Palm CI edged up 1.94% to XOF 16,005 while BOA CI increased by 0.18% to XOF28,000.

Egypt: EGX 30 +3.04%, Vols USD 82m

The market witnessed another rally today, leaving the EGX30 to end the day up 3.04%, to close at 4136.19 points. Volumes has significantly improved, market traded a total turnover of USD 82m, in which almost 25% was attributed to ORTE and OTMT alone. Internationals continue to be net buyers in Egyptian blue-chips particularly OCIC and ORTE, especially after parliament convened yesterday for the first time and SCAF handing over the legislative power, which gave investors a sense of optimism about the political road map for Egypt. Local investors continue to book profits at these levels ahead of tomorrow's expected protests/celebrations, fearing violent clashes between protesters and security forces.

Investor mix:
•  Foreigners were net Buyers by 60.11 mn EGP and were 34.11% of the market.
•  Egyptians were net Sellers by 16.19 mn EGP and were 58.21% of the market.
•  Arabs were net Sellers by 43.92 mn EGP and were 7.68% of the market.
•  Institutions were net Buyers by 11.20 mn EGP and were 49.63% of the market.
•  Retail were net Sellers by 27.39 mn EGP and were 50.36% of the market.

Kenya: NSE 20 +0.35%, Vols USD 2.8m

The Nairobi bourse was characterised by increased volumes today driven by strong trading on Equity Bank, Safaricom and Diamond Trust. Turnover surged 89.4% to USD 2.8m with foreign investor participation increasing to 66.9% of the day’s total trades. Equity Bank accounted for 59.4% of the total turnover with 8.9m shares trading in the name at an average of KES 16.00. Safaricom moved a total of 24.7m shares today at the stable price of KES 3.20, closing the day with a demand overhang. EABL reversed yesterday’s losses in the last hour of trading when a block of 100,000 shares was crossed. The counter moved a total of KES 28.7m closing at KES 165.00 (+1.9%)

Mauritius: Semdex -0.29%, USD 985k

The SEM made a lethargic start to the week following a long weekend. While the US market recorded among its strongest starts in a quarter century, the Semdex lost 0.29% to 1,847.53pts. Today’s Official List turnover stood at a mere Rs7.8M – its lowest since Jan 4th – and mostly skewed by exchanges on MCB [47%] at Rs165 (±0%) and ROGE [22%] at Rs330 (-3.8%). Blue-chips SBM at Rs80.50, IBL at Rs80, and NMHL at Rs77 all held steady while hoteliers SUN and LUX cascaded further down to Rs42.50 (-1.2%) and Rs23 (-1.3%) respectively. MLC dropped by 20 cents to Rs8.30 while MUA recouped Rs1 to Rs122; each on only 100 shares. SHELL slipped by Rs1 to Rs161. Today was the last day to accept VEM’s buy-out offer. The main highlight of the day was the cross of 14.5k ASCE shares at Rs1,300 (±0%), which saw turnover increase to Rs20m on the Dem. CTL traded at Rs15.50 (±0%), FUEL lost 2% at Rs145 , and DRBC(O) gave-up 6% to Rs470. CIEL fell to a new 2½YL Rs2.95 (-1.7%).

Nigeria: ASI -0.37%, Vols USD 13.25m

The Nigerian ASI closed fell 0.37% while value traded amounted to USD 13.25m. Top traded stocks were Continental Reinsurance, First Bank, International breweries, Fidelity Bank, GTB, UBA, Zenith Bank, Access Bank, Nigerian Breweries and Skye Bank. Top losers of the day were Chevron Plc (-5.00%), Morison Plc (-5.00%), Berger Paints Plc (-4.96%), Cement Company of Northern Nigeria (-4.96%) and Union Bank (-4.91%). The gainers were led by Honeywell Flourmills (4.71%), Sterling Bank (4.44%), Prestige Assurance (4.44%), Livestock feeds Plc (4.41%) and Continental reinsurance (4.29%). The banking sector ASI closed down 54bps. Access Bank closed up 2.13% at N4.80 and traded 5.98m units while First Bank closed up 1.69% at N9.05 and traded 43.46m units in total. GTB closed down 3.56% at N13.02 trading 9.67m units in total. The sector also had crosses of 20m units of First Bank, 7m units of Fidelity Bank and 2.96m units of Access Bank. In the building materials sector, Cement Company of Northern Nigeria closed down 4.96% at N5.37 and traded 105k units while Ashaka Cement also closed down 4.86% at N10.58 and traded 642k units. Lafarge Wapco closed flat at N44.30 and traded 264k units in total. In the food and beverages sector, Nigerian Breweries closed down 0.53% at N93.00 and traded 5.54m units while Nestle closed up 0.83% at N423 and traded 595k units in total. Guinness closed flat at N230.00 and traded 760k units in total. The sector also had a cross of 20m units of International Breweries. There were also crosses of45m units of Continental Reinsurance, 1.2m units of Resort Savings & Loans Plc and 2.47m units of Intercontinental Wapic Insurance.

South Africa: Top 40 -0.62%, Vols USD 1.53bn

The JSE ended the day lower with the Top 40 Index falling 0.62% to close at 30,176 while value traded amouted to USD 1.53bn. Financials were the day's biggest losers with the Index falling 1.42% followed by Resources and Industrials which fell 0.95% and 0.25% respectively. The Rand was trading at 7.97 and 10.37 to the USD and EUR respectively by the time local markets closed.

Zambia: LuSE -0.25%, Vols USD 26k

The market recorded a turnover of USD 26,288.35. The counters that traded today included CECZ, INVE, LAFA, PUMA, SCBL, ZMFA, ZNCO and ZSUG. The biggest contributor towards turnover was ZNCO, 79,200 shares traded at an average price of ZMK 1,205, turnover amounted to USD 19,087. The second biggest contributor towards turnover was ZMFA 20,000 shares traded at an average price of ZMK 650, turnover amounted to USD 2,600.

Zimbabwe: Industrials -0.54%, Mining -4.82%, Vols USD 473k

ZSE losses persisted unabated in a dull trading session that saw turnover slump below the half a million dollar mark to $473,168 on subdued foreign participation that came in at a paltry $1,609 on the buying side whilst the sell side contribution stood at $67,591. The industrial index dropped -0.54% to 140.48points weighed down by losses in heavyweights Delta and CBZ. CBZ traded -0.5% softer at 10c as the central bank governors assurances that the financial sector was in a sound state seemed to fall on deaf ears with investors becoming increasingly averse to financial stocks on a possible crunch in the market. Beverages group Delta succumbed to selling pressure shedding -1.41% to 69c albeit on a thin volume of 14,511 shares. The worst performer for the day was cables manufacturer CAFCA recording only its second trade this year having last traded on the 3rd of January fell -16.15% to 54.50c while insurance group Afre came off -8.57% to 3.20c. Selling pressure on Meikles saw the conglomerate fall 7.7% to 18c whilst Dairibord was -4.7% softer at 18.10c. Mitigating the market losses were gains in five stocks led by agricultural concern Ariston that rose +10% to 1.10c whilst property group ZPI followed after gaining +8.33% to 1.3c. Sugar processing and packaging group Star Africa recovered +5.6% to 0.95c whilst continued demand in agro-industrial concern SeedCo saw them close +0.91% firmer at 111c. Coal miners Hwange fell -6.7% to 28c driving the resources index further into the red after shedding -4.82% to 76.59pts, Rio Zim recorded no trades after reiterating their cautionary notice to shareholders and was buyers at 20c while sellers were at 30c. Bindura and Falgold also recorded no trades in today’s session.