Agricultural sector star joins NewGold ETF in triple-digit club as market sees record single-day trading value
Benso Palm Plantation PLC (BOPP) achieved a historic milestone on Thursday, becoming the first locally-listed equity on the Ghana Stock Exchange to cross the GH¢100 price threshold, even as the broader market experienced a significant pullback.
The agricultural sector star surged by GH¢7.91 to close at an unprecedented GH¢100.00, cementing its position as the highest-priced Ghanaian stock on the bourse. The only instrument trading above this level is the NewGold exchange-traded fund, which remained unchanged at GH¢546.00.
Market Indices Decline Amid Profit-Taking
The GSE Composite Index recorded a decline of 217.08 points to close at 15,691.69, reflecting broad-based selling pressure particularly in financial stocks. The GSE Financial Stocks Index suffered a sharper decline of 391.34 points to settle at 9,844.23.
Market capitalisation stood at GH¢293.46 billion, down from Wednesday’s levels, as investors processed recent gains and rotated positions.
Record-Breaking Trading Activity
Total volume of shares traded surged to 36,775,033, with aggregate value hitting GH¢234,004,408.44—the highest single-day value in the bourse’s history.
MTN Ghana Dominates Trading
Scancom PLC (MTNGH) continued its dominance of the exchange, with 34,854,670 shares traded—accounting for approximately 95 per cent of all trading activity. The telecommunications giant added GH¢0.05 to close at GH¢6.53, contributing GH¢227,267,391.12 to total market value.
Other Gainers
Republic Bank (Ghana) PLC surged by GH¢0.42 to close at GH¢5.38, while Ghana Oil Company Limited gained GH¢0.22 to GH¢7.85. Clydestone (Ghana) PLC rose by GH¢0.09 to close at GH¢0.99, and on the Ghana Alternative Market, Hords PLC added GH¢0.01 to GH¢0.10.
Financial Stocks Suffer Heavy Losses
The banking and financial services sector bore the brunt of Thursday’s sell-off. GCB Bank PLC plunged by GH¢4.62 to close at GH¢45.77, while Societe Generale Ghana PLC shed GH¢0.96 to GH¢8.73.
SIC Insurance Company PLC declined by GH¢0.50 to GH¢4.54, and Ecobank Transnational Inc. fell GH¢0.27 to GH¢2.45. Standard Chartered Bank Ghana PLC dipped GH¢0.16 to GH¢79.25, while Ecobank Ghana PLC shed GH¢0.10 to GH¢55.90.
Cal Bank PLC declined by GH¢0.02 to GH¢0.77, and TotalEnergies Marketing Ghana PLC edged down GH¢0.09 to GH¢39.80.
Market Summary
The GSE-CI has now gained 78.92 per cent since the start of the year, while the financial stocks index remains up 111.83 per cent despite Thursday’s sharp pullback.
Thursday’s historic session saw BOPP etch its name in the record books as the first Ghanaian stock to reach triple digits, even as profit-taking in financial stocks tempered broader market indices.
