Local individuals contributed 5.9 percent to the total turnover recorded by the Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) during the first half of 2017, data supplied by the local bourse shows.
This is in comparison to the 3.6 percent contribution made in the corresponding period in 2016.
The BSE says as at June 30, 2017, it recorded a turnover of P903.8 million from 291.4 million shares traded. During the same period in 2016, the bourse had registered a turnover of P1. 635 million and a total volume of 483.1 million shares traded.
Still during the first half of 2017, local companies are said to have contributed 59.1 percent to total turnover compared to 53.3 percent in the corresponding period in 2016.
In its analysis of Equity Indices, the BSE stated that the Domestic Company Index (DCI) has performed better in 2017 amid similarly challenging environment of sluggish corporate earnings.
In 2017, the DCI has depreciated by 1.7 percent in comparison to a depreciation of 4.9 percent during the same period in 2016.
On the other hand, the Foreign Company Index (FCI) has depreciated by 0.2 percent on a year-to-date basis relative to an appreciation of 1.5 percent over the same period in 2016.
Meanwhile, the second half of the year seems to have started on a positive footing following a record trade registered at the local bourse last week.
BSE’s Head of Market Development Thapelo Moribame announced late last week that a highest turnover in a single day at P484.6 million was recorded on July 19, 2017.
This is the first in 2017 and the second highest turnover ever recorded in the history of the BSE, after the recorded turnover of P494.3 million in June, 2016.