News and developments on African capital markets: African securities, African stock exchanges, African equities, African bonds, African private equity/venture capital, and African social impact investment. Twitter @africancapital, LinkedIn African Securities Exchanges group.
Malawi Stock Exchange is set to go live with an automated trading system (ATS) by end May and 30 April is start date for dematerialization as shareholders move physical certificates onto the Reserve Bank of Malawi electronic Central Securities Depository.
Malawi came out as Africa’s top-performing exchange to USD-based investors over 2013 with a strong 62.4% return. Eight out of 13 African exchanges beat the S&P 500.
The ten stock exchanges of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) are working together to increase the effectiveness of their markets. The Committee of SADC Stock Exchanges (CoSSE) has agreed to concentrate on six priority areas in support of regional moves to more efficient capital markets.
Reuters newsagency has put together stories on issuers’ and investors’ difficulties with African stock markets. These include lack of liquidity and sinking currencies. It notes that African companies are increasingly dual listing on international stock exchanges.