ACCRA, Ghana -

Big gains on the stock market by Standard Chartered Bank and Unilever Ghana Limited Monday pushed the main market index up to open the week at 796.49 points.

The Ghana Stock Exchange All-Share Index gained 8.68 points on the strength of high gains by the two equities. The All-Share Index closed last week at 787.81 points. The change in the year to date stood at negative 8.27 percent.

Market indicators opened the week recording high figures with bids closing at 2.3 million shares, up from 167,700 shares.

Shares traded ended at 222,700 as against 60,600 shares with offers also closing higher from 1.4 million shares to 2.1 million shares.

Market capitalisation ended at 3,293.30 billion cedis, up from 3,279.65 billion cedis.

On the broader market, four equities registered price changes - two up and two down.

Standard Chartered Bank made 500 cedis at 20,500 cedis with UNIL recording 110 cedis to close trading at 1,890 cedis.

Ghana Breweries Limited and Home Finance Company Limited lost 50 cedis and one cedi to begin the week's trading at 1,600 cedis and 749 cedis respectively. (2,568 cedis = 1 US dollar).