Accra, Dec. 29, GNA - The year 2006 began with a good will message delivered by President John Agyekum Kufuor promising a giant lift-off for the agriculture and other sectors for the year.

Opening and closing figures of Exchange Rates for January to December 2006

 OPENING FIGURES            CLOSING FIGURES 
 CURRENCY   BUYING      SELLING      BUYING       SELLING
 US DOLLAR  9,035.45    9,140.91     9,158.64      9,260.91
 BRITISH  £ 15,615.06   15,801.89    18,035.19    18,239.36
 CANADIAN $  7,777.98    7,864.77     7,936.63     8,022.26
 JAPANESE       77.05       77.93        77.43        78.29
 EURO       10,736.43   10,859.66     12,098.47    12,228.05
 CFA           16.37        16.56         18.44        18.64 

Opening and closing figures of trading on the Stock Exchange All-Share Index at the beginning of the year (Jan. 3, 2006) was 4,769.15 points All-Share Index at the end of the year (Dec. 27, 2006) was 5,005.97 points.

Year-to-date change (Jan. 3, 2006) opened at 0.003 per cent. It closed 2005 at negative 28.85 per cent.

Year-to-date change (Dec. 28, 2006) ended at 4.97 per cent

Market capitalization (Jan. 3, 2006) opened at 91,857.61 billion cedis Market capitalization (Dec. 28, 2006) closed at 112,415.84 billion cedis The bourse in the year saw the listing of four companies - Ecobank Ghana Limited, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, Aryton Drugs and Transaction Solution Ghana Limited (Transol).

There was also the listing of Government of Ghana two- and three-year fixed rate bonds, Standard Chartered Bank's Preference Shares and Standard Chartered Bank Medium Term Notes.