(Business in Cameroon) – No trades were recorded during the March 12, 2025, trading session at the Central African Stock Exchange (BVMAC), the unified financial market for CEMAC countries, headquartered in Douala, Cameroon. According to the official trading bulletin (BOC), over 3,000 shares were put up for sale during the session, including more than 1,000 from companies operating in Cameroon.
The largest block of unsold shares came from Socapalm, Cameroon’s leading palm oil producer and a subsidiary of the Luxembourg-based Socfin Group. A total of 544 Socapalm shares were listed for sale but remained unsold. The same happened with 282 shares of SEMC, the mineral water company owned by the French Castel Group; 80 shares of Safacam, another Socfin subsidiary in Cameroon; and 212 shares of La Régionale Bank, a local financial institution.
“Despite buy and sell offers for Safacam, Socapalm, and SEMC shares, no transactions were completed because the buying prices were lower than the selling prices,” the BOC explained. However, demand was notably weak, with only 132 shares requested compared to 1,118 available for sale. This suggests a lack of investor interest, even though these companies have reported solid financial results in recent filings.
The BOC did not provide reasons for this lack of enthusiasm, but financial market analysts point out that when large volumes of shares from profitable companies are put up for sale at once, it can make investors cautious. A sudden rush to sell might be interpreted as a warning sign that something is wrong, prompting potential buyers to hold back.
