Half way through the 2023 Financial year, we pause and take a look at how the Zambian Capital Market Performed in the previous two quarters of the year. The bond market performed extremely well as it recorded a 96% score dominating the equity market which recorded a 4% score. Each week in the last six months the bond market outperformed the equity market. Bonds are a low-risk investment issued when the Government borrows money from its people.
Equity Market
In total the equity market recorded 8,560 trades, 174,918,480 shares transacted resulting in a turnover of K568,813,298. March was the best performing month of the half year analysis as it recorded the highest Turnover, Total shares as well as total trades. A total of 1661 trades were recorded with 128,668,981 shares were transacted resulting in a turnover of K454,165,429 in the month of March. The second best performing month was the month of January with a total of 1625 trades recorded with 32,004,823 shares transacted resulting in a turnover of K57,133,104.
The LuSE All Share Index (LASI) closed at 8,238.86 points. The market closed on a capitalization of K76,793,950,255.85 including Shoprite Holdings and K42,011,264,815.85 excluding Shoprite Holdings. The Lusaka All Share Index is a barometer for the Zambian Capital Market, it provides valuable insight to potential investors on market trends. It is calculated on free float market capitalization of companies listed on the Securities Exchange, taking into account the number of shares available for trading on the market.
Bond Market
The Bond market performed exceptionally well in the first half of 2023, Bonds of face value K27,386,706,330 were traded in 1285 trades yielding a market value K13,236,724,250. May was the best performing month of the half year analysis on the bond market with bonds of face value K7,175,874,010 were traded in 174 trades yielding a market value of K4,542,917,670.