The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) ended the session on May 11, 2026, on a weaker footing, with the Nairobi All Share Index (NASI) shedding 0.7% to close at 208.20 points. This decline reversed momentum from the previous session, primarily driven by performance drags from several large-cap stocks.
Other key indices mirrored this downward trend, with the NSE-20 and NSE-25 both retreating by 0.4%, while the NSE-10 index dipped 0.2%. In contrast, the Banking Sector Index showed resilience, posting a marginal gain of 0.2%.
NSE Market Activity and Foreign Participation
Trading activity saw a significant cooling during the session as equity turnover plummeted by 53.4% to reach KES 339.18 million, marking a sharp drop from the KES 727.98 million recorded in the prior session. This contraction in volume was accompanied by a 0.7% dip in overall market capitalization, which settled at KES 3,452.86 billion.
In the foreign investment space, international participants remained net sellers, recording net outflows of KES 42.97 million. While they maintained a selling position, the session’s outflow represented a notable reduction compared to the KES 84.35 million exit observed previously.
The session was highlighted by a strong surge in the manufacturing sector contrasted against heavy losses for the tobacco giant, British American Tobacco (BAT) Kenya. Leading the gainers’ chart was B O C Kenya, which rose 4.3% to close at 157.50, followed by WPP Scangroup and BK Group Plc, both advancing by 3.3%. Other notable performers included Flame Tree Group, which added 3.2%, and the ABSA New Gold ETF, which climbed 3.0% to reach 5,745.00.
BAT Kenya emerged as the session’s steepest loser, shedding 10.2% of its value to settle at 511.00. The agricultural and insurance sectors also faced pronounced downward pressure, with Limuru Tea dropping 5.3% and Sanlam Kenya declining by 5.2%. Rounding out the top losers were Shri Krishana Overseas and Eaagads Plc, which retreated by 4.3% and 4.2% respectively.
The market was weighed down by losses in large-cap counters such as Jubilee Holdings (-1.7%), East African Breweries (EABL) (-1.6%), and Safaricom (-1.4%). Conversely, support came from Total Energies Marketing Kenya, Co-operative Bank, and ABSA Bank, which gained 2.1%, 2.0%, and 1.2% respectively.
Equity Group emerged as the most actively traded counter of the day, moving KES 105.94 million in turnover. It was followed by Safaricom Plc, which transacted KES 66.77 million, and KCB Group, which recorded KES 55.62 million in turnover.
