Tunisia's Stock Market Re-Opens for Business

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Tunisia's small stock market begins to trade after a two week suspension. The recent violence that accompanied the downfall of President Ben Ali caused the country’s market to spiral downwards.

There may be no bells to signal the start of trading and no chaotic trading floor bustling with activity, but the Tunisia stock exchange is back in business.

The country's bourse re-opened on Monday after a two-week suspension following the unrest that accompanied the downfall of President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.

The political upheaval sent the market crashing with 12 percent of the index value wiped off in a single week before trading ceased in mid-January.

[Hichem Ben Romdhane, Bourse Agent]:
"The Tunisian stock market has enjoyed a long period of development since 2003. It was good until the end of last year when we saw a big drop (in market value). This drop continued until the revolution and the formation of the new (interim) government, the market closed for two weeks and returned on Monday. Now we are back but open for fewer hours with less activity in share trading."

Activity has been slow since the bourse re-opened with the index value down two percent at the end of Monday's trading.

But the market stabilized on Tuesday.

[Saleem, Investor]:
"I came to the bourse today and I bought shares in the industrial sector and other shares. We shouldn't sit at home doing nothing. If I come to the bourse I can bring confidence back to other people (to buy shares). We can't sit and do nothing to serve our country at this time."

The bourse currently trades for less than four hours. Normal hours of operation are expected to return next week where trading can occur for seven hours.

The bourse, created in 1969, has a current market value of around $13 billion. There are 56 Tunisian companies listed on its market.