The Australian dollar changed hands at $0.6958 after seeing an earlier low of $0.6923.

The S&P 500 posted 25 new 52-week highs and no new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 142 new highs and eight new lows.

China, the world’s top crude importer, is also expected to slow crude imports in the third quarter, after record purchases in recent months,

Kenya Power & Lighting Company Plc led the gainers with a 7.94% share price appreciation closing at KES 2.04 per share.

Mainland Chinese stocks were mixed in morning trade, with the Shanghai composite down fractionally while the Shenzhen component rose 0.168%.