A report released by Bahrain Stock Exchange showed that Bahrain All Share Index closed at 2,859.03 points at the end of June 2008 marking a growth of 3.77% compared to its closing at the beginning of January 2008, while Dow Jones Bahrain Index and Esterad Index posted growth of 3.83% and 1.06% respectively.
The total volume of shares exceeded BD1 billion to reach BD1.007 billion, posting a growth of 348% while comparing it with the volume of shares traded during the first half of 2007. The value of shares traded was BD514.98 million, up by 287.16% from the value of shares traded in the corresponding period last year. Moreover, the number of transactions executed during the first half of 2008 reached 26,441, posting a growth of 141.05% compared to the transactions executed during the corresponding period last year.
Market capitalization of Bahraini Shareholding Companies listed posted growth of 33.83% compared to the market capitalization at the end of June 2007, from BD8.583 billion to BD11.487 billion. The Investment Sector led other sectors in terms of market capitalization as it amounted to BD5.399 billion capturing 47.00% of the total market capitalization followed by the Commercial Banks Sector with BD 4.092 billion representing 35.62% of the total market capitalization. Then came the Services Sector with a market capitalization of BD1.627 billion accounting for 14.17% from the total market capitalization of companies listed on the exchange.
The report also shows that investors traded mainly in the Commercial Banks
Sector with a value of BD303.9 million representing 59.01% of the total value
of shares traded during the first half of the year 2008. The volume of shares
traded in the Commercial Banks Sector was 554.8 million representing 55.10%
of the volume of shares traded. The Investment Sector came second in terms of value of shares traded with a value of BD153.59 million accounting for 29.82% of the total value of shares traded.
The volume of shares traded in the Investment Sector during the same period was 336.39 million shares capturing 33.40% of the total volume. Then came the Services Sector with a value of BD49.01 million shares traded accounting for 9.51% of the total value of shares traded. The volume of shares traded in this sector was 92.32 million shares representing 8.35% of the total volume of shares.
On the companies' front, BBK ranked first in terms of the value of shares traded with BD229.10 million accounting for 32.62% of the total value of shares traded. Gulf Finance House came second with a value of BD55.09 million representing 10.70% of the total value of shares traded. Then came Al Salam Bank with a value of BD51.17 million accounting for 9.94% of the total value of shares traded.
Statistics showed that Bahraini Investors were the most active in terms of value of shares traded during the first half of 2008 capturing 53.60% of the market share. GCC Investors came second during the same period accounting for 39.30% of the total value of shares traded, then came other non-GCC investors comprising 7.10% of the total value of shares traded.
