Kenya Equity Watch | 29 June 2015: Kenya equity market opens on a bullish note, market cap KES 8 billion up

Nairobi, Kenya (Capital Markets in Africa):- Kenya equity markets opened the week on a bullish note. The market capitalization added KES 7.96 billion (or 0.35 percent relative to market capitalization of KES 2,273.06 billion recorded on the previous trading session) to close at KES 2,281.02 billion.

The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE20) index edged higher by 27.22 points or 0.57 percent to close at 4,837.58 points and Nairobi All Share Index surged by 0.57 points or 0.35 percent to settle at 163.08. However, the FTSE NSE 25 and FTSE NSE 15 indices remained flat to close at 215.65 points and 214.80 points respectively.

With regard to today’s market trading activities, volume of shares traded rose by 3.83 percent to close at 18.82 million and total turnover soared by 53.65 percent to close at KES 725.86 million. East African Breweries was the largest mover of the day with a turnover of KES 256.93 million representing 35.40 percent of total market turnover.  At the same time, KCB BANK was the second largest mover of the day with a turnover of KES 144.417 million accounted for 19.90 percent of total market turnover. Likewise, SAFARICOM was the third largest turnover of KES 98.113 million and fourth largest was Equity Group with turnover recorded at KES 96.491 million. In term of type of investor, foreign buys stood at 69.45 percent of total turnover, while foreign sales stood at 81.39 percent of total turnover.

Looking at the market price movers and shakers, EAAGADS Kenya was the highest market leaders edging up by 10.00 percent to close the day at KES 38.50. It was followed by Standard Group Kenya, by adding 6.58 percent to close the day at KES 40.50 and KENYA AIRWAYS climbed by 5.84 percent to settle at KES 7.25. In the same mood, NATION MEDIA and MUMIAS surged by 5.00 percent (to close at KES 189.00 on 1,000 shares) and 4.44 percent (exchanged in 1.739 million shares with closing price of KES 3.25).

On the contrary, Crown Berger Paint Kenya emerged as the top loser, falling by 9.09 percent to close the day at KES 90.00. Also, FLAME TREE dropped by 3.93 percent to trade at KES 8.55 on 1,300 traded shares. Likewise, TOTAL Kenya and WPP SCANGROUP Kenya plunged by 3.30 percent and 2.94 percent to end at KES 22.00 and KES 41.25 respectively.

On currency market front, Kenyan Shilling appreciated against major trading currencies today. It increased against US dollar by 0.02 percent to trade at KES 98.50 and against South African Rand by 0.02 percent to close at KES 8.11. The Kenyan Shilling also appreciated against EURO and British Pound by 1.16 percent and 0.04 percent respectively. Conversely, Kenyan Shilling depreciated against Tanzanian Shilling and Ugandan by 0.89 percent to end KES 32.94 and 10.04 percent to trade at KES 20.86 in that order.