Business News of Wednesday, 3 January 2001

Source: Reuters

Ghana bourse posts small gain.

The Ghana Stock Exchange closed with a small gain on Wednesday, mainly on a significant rise in Enterprise Insurance Co., but volume was moderate, the official report showed.

The index added just 0.7 points to 860.15, an 0.25 percent gain over the first two days of the year.

Volume was just 24.24 million cedis ($3,387) for a total of 73,100 shares traded.

EIC, the biggest gainer, rose 100 to 2,800. Two other stocks made small gains. SSB bank added 10 to 2,060, while consumer goods company CFAO added just two to 53.

But the most active stock on the day was Commercial Bank with a 6.4 million cedis turnover.

The cedi currency was quoted at 7,155 against the dollar on Wednesday, a loss of 52 percent compared with its 3,388 value on January 3, 2000.

The currency decline was the main factor behind the lack of interest in the market over the last year.

President elect John Kufuor, who takes over from Jerry Rawlings on Sunday, has pledged to bring in policies to generate wealth in partnership with the private sector.