The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) concluded the week on a high note, with trading activity showing significant improvements compared to the previous session.
A total of 30,684,100 shares were traded in 1,458 deals, generating a market turnover of KES 480,845,498.00. This represents an 86% increase in trading volume and a 53% rise in turnover, despite an 8% decline in the number of deals. The market capitalization also edged up to KES 1.98 trillion, reflecting a positive sentiment in the equities market.
Market Activity Overview
Out of the 48 listed equities that participated in trading, 26 stocks recorded gains while 17 posted losses. Sanlam Kenya emerged as the top gainer, with its share price appreciating by 8.95% to close at KES 10.35 per share. Other notable gainers included Longhorn Publishers (+7.91%), Liberty Kenya Holdings (+7.51%), and Centum Investment Company (+4.55%).
On the losing side, Unga Group experienced the steepest decline, falling by 9.9% to close at KES 23.20 per share. Olympia Capital Holdings (-8.38%), ScanGroup (-6.56%), and Express Kenya (-6.32%) also recorded significant losses.
Britam Holdings led in trading volume, with 15.1 million shares changing hands. Safaricom followed with 7.21 million shares, while KCB Group and KenGen recorded 5.25 million and 596,200 shares traded, respectively.
Performance of NSE Market Indices
The benchmark NSE All Share Index (NASI) rose by 1.02 points (0.81%) to close at 126.78. Despite this gain, the NASI recorded a 1-week loss of 3.6% and a 4-week decline of 2.58%, though it maintains a year-to-date gain of 2.67%.
Other indices also posted gains, the NSE 10 Share Index increased by 1.12%, though it reflects a 1-week loss of 3.92% and a year-to-date decline of 0.84%. The NSE 20 Share Index climbed by 1.29%, maintaining a strong year-to-date gain of 7.74% despite a 1-week loss of 2.64%. The NSE 25 Share Index advanced by 0.96%, with a 1-week loss of 3.29% but a modest year-to-date gain of 0.51%.
Investor Sentiment and Market Trends
Our analysts noted that the trading session highlighted a mix of optimism and caution among investors. The significant improvement in trading volume and turnover indicates heightened market activity, while the gains in key indices reflect resilience in the face of global and local economic uncertainties. Sanlam Kenya’s strong performance and Britam Holdings’ high trading volume underscore the opportunities within the NSE for both growth and liquidity.
