Kenya Market Watch | June 23rd 2015: Kenya equity market ends in red, market cap KES 15 billion falls

Nairobi, Kenya (Capital Markets in Africa):- Kenya equity markets reverted yesterday gains. The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE20) index somersaulted by 4.13 points or 0.09 percent to close at 4,776.35 points and Nairobi All Share Index fell by 1.07 points or 0.66 percent to settle at 162.27. However, the FTSE NSE 25 and FTSE NSE 15 indices rose by 0.22 points or 0.10 percent to close at 216.59 and 0.02 points to close at 215.80 points respectively. On the other hand, the market capitalization lost KES 14.91 billion (or 0.65 percent) to close at KES 2,269.78 billion (against market capitalization of KES 2,284.69 billion recorded at previous trading day sessions).

Looking at the market activities, the volume of shares traded rose by 47.22 percent to close at 27.41 million and total turnover went up 52.52 percent to close at KES 700.47 million. SAFARICOM was the largest mover of the day with a turnover of KES 178.53mn representing 26.58 percent of total market turnover. At the same time, NATION MEDIA was the second largest mover of the day with a turnover of KES 116.394 million accounted for 17 percent of total market turnover. Likewise, East African Breweries was the third largest turnover of KES 91,450 million and fourth largest was Co-operative Bank with turnover recorded at KES 81.595 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, UMURU TEA Kenya was the highest market leaders edging up by 9.96 percent to close the day at KES 1,248.00. It was followed by MUMIAS Kenya, by gaining 7.69 percent to close the day at KES 2.10 and STANDARD GROUP Kenya climbed by 5.71 percent to settle at KES 37.00. In the same mood, TRANS-CENTURY and KENYA AIRWAYS surged by 4.98 percent (to close at KES 12.65) and 3.79 percent (to end at KES 6.85). On the contrary, Car & General Kenya emerged as the top laggard, losing 9.09 percent to close the day at KES 40.00. Also, Nairobi Securities Exchange dropped by 3.57 percent to trade at KES 20.25 on 58,400 traded securities. Likewise, EXPRESS and Nation Media Kenya plunged by 2.75 percent and 2.73 percent to end at KES 5.30 and KES 178.00 respectively.

On currency front, Kenyan Shilling depreciated against US dollar by 0.03 percent to trade at KES 98.59. Also, Kenyan Shilling depreciated against South African Rand by 0.02 percent to close at KES 8.11 and traded at KES 23.18, by giving up 0.01 percent against Ugandan Shilling. Conversely, Kenyan Shilling appreciated against British Pound (0.60 percent to end at KES 155.56), EURO (1.17 percent to trade at KES 111.06), Tanzanian Shilling (0.04 percent to end KES 33.60) and Rwanda Franc by 1.90 percent to end at KES 7.46 percent.