THE BARBADOS STOCK EXCHANGE (BSE) is reporting a mixed performance so far this year and holding out hope that market conditions would “continue to improve” throughout 2015.
In its half-year report released last week, the BSE reported increased activity on its Regular Market.
“The trading activity on the Regular Market for the first half of 2015 recorded an increase of 33 per cent in trading volume and a corresponding increase in value of 21 per cent,” it said.
“The total volume of shares traded at the half year was 3 843 432 as compared to 2 891 508 shares traded for the corresponding period in 2014. Similarly, the total value traded increased from $9.48 [million] in the first half of 2014 to $11.46 [million] for the corresponding period in 2015.”
However, while total trading volume increased by eight per cent and total trading value increased by 13 per cent, “Put Through Market performance continues to show declines in both volume and value traded when compared to performance for the corresponding period in 2014”. Another concern was the absence of any trading on the Junior and Block Trade markets in the first half of this year.
The first half also saw two securities being delisted from stock exchange, while there was one listing. There were also no “extra-ordinary transactions” in the period.
As for the second quarter performance, the BSE said there was improvement in the volumes traded, but “as share prices continue to be constricted, the volumes traded have not met the same level of performance of the volumes traded” previously.
“Total trading volume was up 57 per cent with a corresponding increase in total trading value of six per cent. The Regular Market was the only market to record a decrease in terms of value traded of seven per cent but a 52 per cent increase in terms of volume traded, while the Put Through Market activity recorded large increases – 609 per cent in terms of volumes traded and 1 386 per cent in terms of value,” the report noted. (SC)
