Africa-Press – Malawi. NBS Bank dominated trading activity on the Malawi Stock Exchange (MSE) during the week ending May 23, 2025, with over 37.6 million shares changing hands, making it the most actively traded counter on the bourse.
The bank’s stock closed at K340.52, down from its weekly high of K342.63, after recording 220 separate trades worth over K12.8 billion in total value.
The counter opened the week at K342.63 but experienced downward pressure, touching a low of K340.00 before settling at the closing price.
Despite the modest decline, NBS maintained strong investor interest throughout the trading period, with its market capitalisation standing at K991.1 billion.
Standard Bank maintained the highest share price on the exchange, closing at K9,504.71 after 31,959 shares were traded across 29 transactions.
The bank’s stock fluctuated between K9,502.12 and K9,508.00 during the week, maintaining its position as the most expensive counter on the MSE with a market capitalisation of K2.23 trillion.
In the broader banking sector, First Merchant Bank (FMBCH) experienced significant volatility, opening at K1,114.62 but closing substantially lower at K989.80.
The stock recorded a weekly high of K1,114.00 before declining to K900.00, representing a notable movement that attracted 1.08 million shares in trading volume across 33 transactions.
FDH Bank demonstrated relative stability, closing at K313.92 after nearly one million shares were traded.
Its stock maintained a tight trading range between K313.91 and K314.04, with 118 trades executed during the period.
FDH market capitalisation stands at K2.16 trillion, making it one of the largest companies by market value.
National Bank of Malawi plc recorded modest trading activity with 48,493 shares exchanged at K6,200.14.
The bank maintained price stability throughout the week, with minimal fluctuation between K6,200.11 and K6,200.15, reflecting investor confidence in the financial institution.
Telecommunications stocks showed a mixed performance during the review period as Airtel Malawi, despite recording over 1.5 million shares in trading volume, saw its stock price decline from an opening of K128.39 to close at K127.95.
TNM recorded comparatively lower activity with 4.6 million shares traded at K23.00, maintaining price stability within a narrow band of K22.99 to K23.00.
Among industrial counters, Illovo Sugar closed at K1,791.42 after limited trading activity while Press Corporation Limited (PCL) maintained its premium valuation at K3,999.98 with minimal volume.
The real estate sector showed subdued activity, with counters such as Mpico trading at K19.00 and Icon maintaining its position at K17.95.
In an interview, stock market analyst Bond Mtembezeka said there was increasing liquidity in the market, driven by renewed interest from existing investors and a growing appetite from new ones.
Another analyst Brian Kampanje said the local bourse was still in wait-and-see mode.
He highlighted that NBS Bank was depicting its real market value in view of its enhanced liquidity.
“There are not so many desperate buyers or sellers. allowing the shares to have an even equilibrium,” Kampanje said.
Minority Shareholders Association of Listed Companies Chairperson for the Central Region Chapter Purity Chitalo said the high transaction volume for NBS shares offered good news to shareholders
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