The Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) ended April on a strong note on Thursday, with the GSE Composite Index extending its upward momentum as key equities recorded notable gains.

The benchmark index rose by 32.30 points to close at 15,130.52, building on an impressive rally seen earlier in the week. Over the past three trading sessions, the index has gained more than 270 points, reflecting renewed investor confidence across the market.

Market activity was also strong, with total turnover rising to GHS41.51 million from 4,005,793 shares traded. This represented the highest daily trading value recorded during the week.

Since the beginning of the week, investor wealth has increased by nearly GHS2.2 billion, driven largely by strong performances in selected large-cap stocks.

However, the financial sector index recorded a slight decline of 13 points as some banking stocks experienced profit-taking. Despite this, the broader market maintained a firm upward trajectory.

ZEN Petroleum leads market gainers

The standout performer of the day was ZEN Petroleum, which surged by GHS0.39 to close at a new year-high of GHS6.14. The stock has gained a total of GHS0.58 over the past three sessions, supported by strong investor demand. More than 33,000 shares were traded, highlighting growing interest in the energy stock.

MTN Ghana maintains strong momentum

Scancom PLC, trading as MTN Ghana, continued its steady rise, gaining GHS0.03 to close at a new year-high of GHS6.80. It was the most actively traded stock of the day, with over 3,050,000 shares exchanged. This accounted for more than three-quarters of total market volume.

Investor interest in MTN Ghana has remained high ahead of its June 3 ex-dividend date, as market participants position themselves to benefit from a quarterly dividend of GHS0.06 per share.

GCB Bank rebounds strongly

GCB Bank also staged a recovery after recent losses, gaining GHS0.12 to close at GHS41.55. The rebound was supported by strong trading activity, with over 434,000 shares exchanged. The movement suggests renewed buying interest following earlier declines.

Mixed performance among other stocks

Atlantic Lithium remained highly active, with nearly 53,000 shares traded, although the price stayed unchanged at GHS7.80. The stock appears to be consolidating after a recent rally, with trading activity suggesting a balance between buyers and sellers.

On the downside, TotalEnergies Marketing Ghana recorded the largest decline in absolute terms, falling GHS0.31 to close at GHS 34.23. Fan Milk also extended its losses, dropping GHS0.50 to end at GHS11.50 after sustained selling pressure in recent sessions.

Other decliners included Ecobank Transnational, which slipped GHS 0.02 to GHS2.18, Enterprise Group, which fell GHS0.02 to GHS11.03, and Republic Bank, which eased GHS 0.01 to GHS5.57.

In the ETF segment, NewGold edged higher by GHS 0.01 to close at GHS497.01, with 1,241 units traded.

Market snapshot

Total shares traded: 4,005,793
Total value traded: GHS41.51 million
GSE Composite Index: 15,130.52 (up 32.30 points)
Market capitalisation: GHS281.84 billion

Overall, the strong performance across major stocks such as ZEN Petroleum, MTN Ghana, and GCB Bank helped the Ghana Stock Exchange close April on a positive and confident note.