Kenya Equity Watch | 18 Aug 2015: Nairobi Securities Exchange struggles to overcome bearish momentum …

Nairobi, Kenya (Capital Markets in Africa) — Nairobi Securities Exchange struggled to overcome bearish momentum, as a result the market capitalization fell by 0.12 percent or KES 2.64 million (almost US$25.6 million) to end at KES 2,126 billion relative to market capitalization of KES 2,129 billion recorded at previous trading session.

The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE20) index sagged by 0.61 percent or 27.65 points to close at 4,482.19 points and the Nairobi All Share Index slid by 0.41 points or 0.27 percent to settle at 151.63 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 19.41 percent to close at 15.89mn. Total turnover went up by 1.60 percent to close at KES 520.08 million. British-American Tobacco Kenya was the largest mover of the day with a turnover of KES 203.54 million representing 39.14 percent of the total market turnover.  Other top five actively traded stocks were KCB Group recorded KES 55.239 million; SAFARICOM had KES 41.472 million, Kenya Airways registered KES 38.477 million and Equity Group with a turnover of KES 37.316 million.

Today’s price mover was Marshalls East Africa Limited which emerged as the top gainer after adding 9.72 percent to end the day at KES 11.85. B.O.C Kenya Limited climbed by 9.40 percent to close the day at KES 128.80. East Africa Breweries Limited surged by 9.26 percent to settle at KES 59.00. Similarly, Total Kenya and British-American Tobacco rose by 7.87 percent to end at KES 24.00 and surged by 7.39 percent to settle at KES 857.00 respectively.

On the losers’ chart, Atlas Development & Support Services emerged ended as the top laggard after plunging by 8.95 percent to end the day at KES 8.64. Other losers were Pan Africa Insurance traded at KES 5.71 after falling by 66.00 percent and Express Kenya sagged by 5.38 percent to trade at KES 4.40. Standard Chartered also tumbled by4.12 percent to end at KES 279.00 as well as CFC Stanbic tumbled by 4.02 percent with a closing price of KES 95.50.

On foreign exchange market front, Kenyan Shilling depreciated by 0.60 percent against US dollar to trade at KES 102.90. Kenyan Shilling increased against British pound by 0.01 percent to end at KES 160.11 but depreciated against the Euro to close at KES 113.77 by losing 0.22 percent. The Kenya shilling surged against South African rand to trade at KES 7.96 after adding by 0.12 percent.