Kenya Equity Watch | 17 Aug 2015: Nairobi Securities Exchange continues in red region … market capitalization US$7 million down …

Nairobi, Kenya (Capital Markets in Africa) — Nairobi Securities Exchanges continued in red zone, as a result the market capitalization marginally lost by 0.03 percent or KES 673 million (almost US$6.6 million) to end at KES 2,129 billion relative to market capitalization of KES 2,130 billion recorded at previous trading session.

The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE20) index rose by 0.30 percent or 13.61 points to close at 4,509.84 points but the Nairobi All Share Index marginally fell by 0.05 points or 0.03 percent to settle at 152.04 points. The FTSE NSE 15 index and FTSE NSE 25 remained unchanged to end at 197.44 points and 196.62 points respectively.

Look at today’s market activities, the volume of shares traded declined by 33.28 percent to close at 19.72 million and total turnover dropped by 22.43 percent to close at KES 511.89 million. Liberty Kenya was the largest mover of the day with a turnover of KES 129.32 million representing 43.92 percent of the total market turnover. Other top five actively traded stocks were Equity Group recorded KES 96.499 million; East Africa Breweries Limited had KES 48.440 million, KCB Group registered KES 32.839 million and SAFARICOM with a turnover of KES 30.372 million.

Today’s price mover was Longhorn which emerged as the top gainer after adding 6.92 percent to end the day at KES 6.95. CFC Stanbic climbed by 5.29 percent to close the day at KES 99.50. Liberty Kenya Holdings surged by 4.55 percent to settle at KES 23.00. Similarly, Standard Chartered Bank and Housing Finance Company Limited rose by 3.93 percent to end at KES 291.00 and surged by 3.16 percent to settle at KES 24.50 respectively.

On the losers’ chart, Express Kenya emerged ended as the top laggard after plunging by 7.92 percent to end the day at KES 4.65. Other losers were UNGA Group traded at KES 40.50 after falling by 5.81 percent and National Bank of Kenya sagged by 3.61 percent to trade at KES 20.00. Total Kenya also plunged by 3.26 percent to end at KES 22.65 as well as Mumias Sugar Company Limited tumbled by 2.56 percent with a closing price of KES 1.90.

On foreign exchange market front, Kenyan Shilling depreciated by 0.04 percent against US dollar to trade at KES 102.29. Also, Kenyan Shilling fell against British pound by 0.32 percent to end at KES 160.12 but appreciated against the Euro to close at KES 113.52, by gaining 0.41 percent. The Kenya shilling also sagged against South African rand to trade at KES 7.97 after falling by 0.08 percent.