(Business in Cameroon) – Transactions on the Central Africa Stock Exchange (Bvmac) saw a 30% rise in 2023, driven largely by activity in Cameroonian La Régionale Bank’s shares. According to Bvmac’s newly released 2023 report, 248 transactions took place on its equity market, compared to 187 in 2022. This jump was partly due to the shift to daily trading in December 2023, up from three times per week. Total transaction value also surged 168% year-over-year, from CFA1.5 billion in 2022 to CFA4 billion in 2023.
La Régionale Bank led in transaction numbers, making up 33% of all trades with 79 transactions—an 11% increase over 2022. Socapalm and Safacam followed with 78 and 44 trades, respectively. In 2023, 1,306 shares of La Régionale Bank changed hands, a 56% increase from the previous year, valued at CFA55.5 million, up 54% year-over-year.
Interest in La Régionale Bank shares can be traced to several factors. Some early investors may be offloading shares due to disappointment in value growth, while others are drawn to the bank’s novelty as a recent market entrant. Established as a full bank in 2022, La Régionale Bank frequently appears at regulatory events held by the Central Africa Financial Market Supervisory Commission (Cosumaf), raising its profile among investors.
Despite its popularity, the bank’s share price has remained flat. As of December 28, 2023, La Régionale Bank’s stock was priced at CFA42,500, close to its initial July 2021 price of CFA42,000. This year’s trading also shows a minor decline of 2.3% from January 2023, highlighting the bank’s steady but unchanging market position.
