The daily average trading value reached 241.63 million riel ($60,000), increasing by roughly 13 per cent compared to 214.59 million riel in the 10 days prior to the lockdown. Hean Rangsey
The Cambodia Securities Exchange (CSX) Index maintained a bullish trend and reached peak at 648.33 points mid-lockdown before cooling back down, despite remaining flat in the days prior to the restrictive measure.
The government first placed Phnom Penh and adjacent Takmao town in Kandal province under lockdown on April 15, in a move to break the chain of Covid-19 transmission from the February 20 community outbreak. It extended it for another seven days until May 5.
Trading activity spiked across the board during the lockdown, with daily average trading values and volumes increasing by approximately 13 and 19 per cent respectively, CSX said in a press release late last week, citing data compiled from April 1 to May 5.
The data showed that the overall trading activity rallied throughout the entire duration of the lockdown.
The daily average trading value reached 241.63 million riel ($60,000), increasing by roughly 13 per cent compared to 214.59 million riel in the 10 days prior to the lockdown.
Similarly, the trading volume averaged 44,318 shares per day during the lockdown, jumping by approximately 19 per cent from the previous average of 37,358.
Daily trading value hit a 531.73 million riel peak on May 4, compared to the April 1-14 peak of 420.21 million riel reached on April 1.
“The increased trading activities also directly impacts the CSX Index in a positive light, allowing it to reach its current highest point of 2021,” said CSX. However that high was surpassed in May 7 after the index gained 1.31 per cent to close at 657.46 points.
The CSX Index inched up every day from the first trading day of the lockdown period, except on April 20-21, before reaching a 648.33 point peak on April 28, then dropped over the next two days before a slight rebound.
In comparison, the index circled around 638-642 points on April 1-14, prior to the lockdown.
According to CSX CEO Hong Sok Hour, investors are turning their interest to stock trading because it allows them to earn returns even at home during travel restrictions.
“It clearly shows the uniqueness of stock market investment for the general public as they can become owners of shares from reputable companies without spending much time establishing their own business," he said.
CSX also pointed out that 99 per cent of all orders during the lockdown were received through the Mobile Trading System (MTS).
On May 7, Phnom Penh Autonomous Port's (PPAP) share price hit a new record high, closing at 15,260 riel, 198 per cent above its IPO price of 5,120 riel.
At the same time, all the other shares on the market also saw respectable growth, CSX said.
Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority (PWSA), Grand Twins International (Cambodia) Plc (GTI), Phnom Penh Special Economic Zone Plc (PPSP), Sihanoukville Autonomous Port (PAS), Acleda Bank Plc (ABC) and Pestech (Cambodia) Plc (PEPC) gained between 20 and 840 riel per share to close at 8,240 riel, 4,420 riel, 1,970 riel, 13,880 riel, 16,600 riel and 3,200 riel respectively.
A total of 166,218 shares worth 1,042,383,580 riel were traded on May 7, of which PWSA accounted for 40 per cent in value.
