Stock market illiquidity blamed on pension fund dominance
Friday, April 18, 2025 | 690 Views |
Seeking growth: Monyatsi PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO
The availability of free-floating stocks, or the shares available for trade in the exchange, result in higher liquidity in the market because players can actually have options to buy and sell. The local exchange has a requirement for all listed companies to maintain a 30% free-float, but pension funds hold the majority of this for their long-term investment horizons.
In a market update session hosted by the Debswana Pension Fund (DPF) recently, BSE chief executive, Aupa Monyatsi, said the exchange was aware of complaints over the lack of sufficient free float in the market and the resultant liquidity crunch.
Whilst celebrating milestones in inclusivity, with notably P5 billion awarded to vulnerable groups, the report sounds a 'siren' on a dangerous and growing trend: the ballooning use of micro-procurement. That this method, designed for small-scale, efficient purchases, now accounts for a staggering 25% (P8 billion) of total procurement value is not a sign of agility, but a 'red flag'. The PPRA’s warning is unequivocal and must be...