Banks lead BSE’s charge
Mbongeni Mguni | Wednesday December 4, 2024 10:59
The country’s oldest commercial bank has this year continued the robust performance seen in 2023 when its share price jumped 85%, second only to leisure tourism group Chobe Holdings, whose share price jumped nearly 88%. This year,
Stanchart’s chart-topping performance is followed by First National Bank Botswana with a gain of 16.3% in its share price as at November, whilst the other listed bank, Absa Bank Botswana, enjoyed an 8.8 percent increase in share price over the same period. BIHL, the country’s largest and most diversified financial sector group, gained 10% over the period, cementing the fact that financial sector players have been driving the Exchange thus far this year. Other counters leading the BSE in the year to November 30, included Chobe, which was up 16.9%, Choppies, up 8.3 percent and Engen, up 7.5 percent.
Analysts have said the strong performance in equities last year and into this year, has been helped by the repatriation of pension fund assets as part of legislative changes steered by the Non-Bank Financial Institutions Regulatory Authority.
Analysts say the move has increased the liquidity of the local capital market, with asset managers scrambling for the limited investable assets such as shares, leading to higher prices.