Top football clubs please their investors in 1st half

By Burhan Sansarlioglu

ISTANBUL (AA) - Prominent football clubs, which are publicly traded, pleased their investors in the stock markets in the first half of the year.

Despite the fluctuating course in the stock markets due to rising global inflation, monetary tightening steps by central banks, ongoing geopolitical risks and increasing recession concerns, investors demanded the world's leading public football clubs.

The English team, Manchester United, brought in 4.5% of its investor during this period.

Manchester United's shares hit highest level after the Qatari newspaper Al-Watan's news that the club was sold to Qatari businessman Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani.

Shares of the club traded on the New York Stock Exchange, reached highest level since April 13, up to $26.64.

The sale of the football club to Qatari businessman is estimated to be some $6.3 billion.

The shares of the German team Borussia Dortmund also increased by 17.8% in the first half of the year.

Borussia Dortmund ended as the second in the German Bundesliga, where Bayern Munich became champion.

Celtic's shares, the champion of the Scottish League, also increased by 16.6%.

Porto, from the Portuguese Premier League, saw an increase of 23.9% in the stock market, Dutch team Ajax 7.8%, Italian team Juventus 8.5%.

Porto won the Portuguese Cup by beating Sporting Braga 2-0 in the final of the Portuguese Cup.

The shares of Benfica, which ended the Portuguese Premier League as champion, fell 7.6%.

Italian team Lazio lost 3.7% and Portuguese team Sporting CP lost 2.5%.

*Writing by Gokhan Ergocun and Emre Asikci​​​​​​​