Kenya Equity Watch | 20 July 2015: Kenya stocks end in mixed mood …. market cap adds KES 50 million and NSE20 index 0.23 percent down

Nairobi, Kenya (Capital Markets in Africa):- Equity trading on the Nairobi Stock Exchange started in a mixed mood today. The market capitalization was recorded at KES 2,189.12 billion after adding KES 50.35 million relative to market capitalization of KES 2,189.07 billion recorded at previous trading session.

However, the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE20) index plunged by 10.54 points or 0.23 percent to close at 4,627.90 points but the Nairobi All Share Index added 0.36 points or 0.23 percent to settle at 155.96 points. The FTSE NSE 15 index and FTSE NSE 25 index lost 1.33 percent to end at 206.11 points and 1.39 percent to trade at 205.08 points respectively.

The volume of shares traded went up 28.96 percent to close at 26.97 million. Total turnover shed 4.30 percent to close at KES 762.33 million. SAFARICOM was the largest mover of the day with a turnover of KES 271.70 million representing 35.57 percent of the total market turnover. British-American Tobacco Kenya recorded a turnover of KES 107.724 million and East African Breweries Limited registered KES 106.362 million. Also, KCB Group and Equity Group had KES 87.446 million and KES 49.779 million respectively. In term of type of investor, foreign buys stood at 70.92 percent of total turnover, while foreign sales stood at 70.28 percent of total turnover.

From the market price movers’ viewpoint, EVEREADY Kenya was the highest market gainer advancing by 6.10 percent to close the day at KES 4.35 after investors sold and bought 77,500 stocks. KCB Group Kenya surged by 1.83 percent to close the day at KES 55.50 on 1,575,600 traded stocks and British-American Tobacco Kenya rose by 1.75 percent to settle at KES 814.00. Likewise, KENYA Power and TOTAL Kenya accelerated by 1.56 percent to end at KES 16.25 and 1.14 percent with closing price of KES 22.25 respectively.

On the other hand, Express Kenya was the top loser, losing 8.11 percent to close the day at KES 5.10. Also, TPS SERENA closed at KES 34.00 after falling by 4.23 percent on 900 traded shares. On the same trend, East African Portland Cement and KenGen plunged by 3.28 percent and 2.82 percent to end at KES 59.00 and KES 8.60 respectively.

On currency market front, Kenyan Shilling appreciated against all major trading currencies. Kenyan Shilling appreciated against US dollar by 0.01 percent to trade at KES 102.50 and against British pound by 0.18 percent to close at KES 159.86. Likewise, the Kenyan Shilling appreciated against the Euro to close at KES 110.99, by adding 0.57 percent and rose by 0.28 percent against South African rand to trade at KES 8.25.