The Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) hit records in terms of the value of shares bought and sold in the first six months of the year, with turnover rising nearly six times when compared to the same period last year, despite the broader slowdown in the economy.
Typically, stock exchanges are viewed as bellwethers of the economy, as they are essentially a pick of the major firms in different sectors whose performance reflects general trends. The economy contracted by three percent last year due mainly to mining and is expected to dip again this year, although the non-mining sector remains generally resilient.
According to an update released by the BSE last week, the local bourse recorded a historic first half with total trading across all listed instruments surging to P7.1 billion compared to P3.6 billion in the first half of 2024, a 96.9% increase.
