NSX local index hits 2026 high as South African stocks recover

**Staff Writer **

The Namibia Securities Exchange (NSX) Local Index climbed to its highest level of 2026 on Friday, closing at 904.11 points as domestic shares outperformed the broader market during the trading week ended 9 October.

The index rose 0.69% on Friday and was nearly 12% higher than its closing level at the end of 2025, supported by a local dividend yield of 9.94%.

However, the NSX Overall Index, which includes dual-listed companies, ended the week at 2 356.42 points, reflecting pressure from international market movements.

In South Africa, the JSE All Share Index recovered towards the end of the week after falling to a year-to-date low of 107 104.29 points on Wednesday, 7 October.

The index gained 146.37 points, or 0.14%, on Friday to close at 108 524.77 points. Despite the recovery, it remained 6.3% below its December 2025 closing benchmark of 115 832 points.

The week’s trading reflected differing performances across sectors, with consumer shares recording the strongest daily gains while financial stocks came under pressure.

Consumer Staples rose 3.94% on Friday to 1 578.83 points, bringing the sector close to its annual high. Consumer Discretionary gained 3.70% to close at 2 113.09 points, although it remained more than 21% lower than at the end of 2025.

Real Estate advanced 1.23% to 2 650.85 points, while Basic Materials edged up 0.19% to 922.44 points. Despite the modest daily increase, Basic Materials was up 28.9% compared with its December 2025 level.

Telecommunications gained 0.09%, while Utilities remained unchanged at 1,084.09 points.

Financials was the weakest-performing sector on Friday, falling 0.79%, or 5.50 points, to close at 694.92 points.

The broader market had experienced a significant decline since September. The NSX Overall Index reached 2,493.58 points on 8 September before falling to 2,315.85 points on 8 October.

Friday’s closing performance showed a recovery in several market segments, although the overall index remained below its September peak.

The contrasting performances of the local and overall indices highlight the difference between domestic-listed shares and the broader market’s exposure to international share-price movements.