Kenya Equity Watch | 13 Aug 2015: The bear persists … market capitalization 0.80% about US$172 million …

Nairobi, Kenya (Capital Markets in Africa) — The bear persists at the end of Thursday’s trading session, hence the market capitalization plunged by 0.80 percent or KES 17.35 billion (almost US$172 million) to end at KES 2,148 billion relative to market capitalization of KES 2,165 billion recorded at previous trading session.

In the same mood, the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE20) index sagged by3.54 points or 0.08 percent to close at 4,492.52 points and the Nairobi All Share Index declined by 1.23 points or 0.80 percent to settle at 153.38 points. The FTSE NSE 15 index and FTSE NSE 25 plummeted by 1.09 percent to close at 199.07 points and by 1.18 percent to end at 198.08 respectively.

Look at today’s market activities, the volume of shares traded rose by 74.02 percent to close at 22.35 million and total turnover went up by 148.19 percent to close at KES 611.89 million. SAFARICOM was the largest mover of the day with a turnover of KES 129.32 million representing 21.14 percent of the total market turnover. Among the top actively traded stocks, East African Breweries Limited recorded a turnover of KES 103.153 million and Equity Group registered KES 97.125 million. KCB Group and Kenya Re-insurance recorded a turnover of KES 96.365 million and KES 49.456 million respectively. In term of type of investor, foreign buys stood at 70.42 percent of total turnover, while foreign sales stood at 70.89 percent of total turnover.

Today’s price mover was Sasini Limited which emerged as the top gainer after adding 13.33 percent to end the day at KES 17.00. Eaagads Limited climbed by9.24 percent to close the day at KES 32.50. Kakuzi Limited surged by 7.67 percent to settle at KES 379.00.  Similarly, Kenya Re-insurance and Uchumi Supermarket Limited rose by 6.23 percent to end at KES 17.90 and surged by 4.48 percent to settle at KES 7.00 respectively.

On the losers’ chart, Eveready East Africa Limited emerged ended as the top laggard after plunging by 8.22 percent to end the day at KES 3.35. Other losers were Crown Berger Paint Limited traded at KES 66.50 after falling by 5.67 percent and British-American Investment Company sagged by 4.33 percent to trade at KES 18.80. Centum Investment Company also plunged by 3.70 percent to end at KES 52.00 as well as Longhorn Kenya Limited tumbled by3.57 percent with a closing price of KES 6.75.

On foreign exchange market front, Kenyan Shilling depreciated by 0.24 percent against US dollar to trade at KES 101.15. Also, Kenyan Shilling fell against British pound by 0.50 percent to end at KES 157.94 and depreciated against the Euro to close at KES 112.62, by losing 0.77 percent. The Kenya shilling also sagged against South African rand to trade at KES 7.95 after adding 1.17 percent.