Kenya Market Watch | June 22nd 2015: Kenya equity market starts on a bullish sentiment, market cap KES 13.2 billion gains

Nairobi, Kenya (Capital Markets in Africa):- Kenya equity markets started the week on a bullish sentiment today. The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE20) index edged up by 1.86 points or 0.04 percent to close at 4,780.48 points and Nairobi All Share Index rose by 0.52 points or 0.52 percent to settle at 163.34. However, the FTSE NSE 25 and FTSE NSE 15 indices dropped by 0.16 points or 0.07 percent to close at 215.37 and 0.24 points or 0.11 percent to close at 215.78 points respectively. The market capitalization gained KES 13.17 billion (or 0.58 percent) to close at KES 2,284.69 billion (against market capitalization of KES 2,271.55 billion recorded at previous trading day sessions).

Looking at the market activities, the volume of shares traded dropped 21.70 percent to close at 18.62 million and total turnover lost 23.84 percent to close at KES 459.69 million. SAFARICOM was the largest mover of the day with a turnover of KES 178.53 million representing 39.87 percent of total market turnover. Equally, KCB Group was the second largest mover of the day with a turnover of KES 96.998 million accounted for 21 percent of total market turnover. Likewise, East African Breweries was the third largest turnover of KES 53.443 million and fourth largest was Centum Investment Group with turnover recorded at KES 35.244 million. In term of type of investor, foreign buys stood at 33.44 percent of total turnover, while foreign sales stood at 27.18 percent of total turnover.

From the market shakers and laggards’ viewpoint, MUMIAS Kenya was the highest market leaders edging up by 5.41 percent to close the day at KES 1.95. It was followed by National Media, by gaining 4.57 percent to close the day at KES 183.00 and NIC Bank climbed by 3.88 percent to settle at KES 53.50. At the same time, MASHALLES and British American Insurance Kenya surged by 3.33 percent (to close at KES 12.40) and 2.47 percent (to end at KES 20.75). On the contrary, KENYA Airways emerged as the top laggard, losing 5.04 percent to close the day at KES 6.60. Also, National Bank Limited dropped by 4.65 percent to trade at KES 20.50 on 40,200 traded securities. Likewise, East African Portland Cement and British American Tobacco Kenya plunged by 4.45 percent and 4.23 percent to end at KES 53.50 and KES 701.00 respectively.

On currency front, Kenyan Shilling depreciated against major trading currencies today. Kenya Shilling depreciated against US Dollar, British Pound, Euro and South African Rand by 0.38 percent to close at KES 98.55, 0.63 percent to end at KES 156.49, 0.95 percent to trade at KES 112.85 and 1.15 percent to settle at KES 8.11 respectively. Conversely, Kenyan Shilling appreciated against Tanzanian Shilling by 0.15 percent to end KES 33.59) and Ugandan Shilling by 0.05 percent to end at KES 0.06 percent.