The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) closed on a downside on February 20, 2026 with the Nairobi All Share Index (NASI) slipping by 0.6 percent to close at 209.88, reflecting a subdued investor sentiment driven largely by losses in key large-cap counters.
Trading activity softened during the session, with equity turnover falling by 6.3 percent to KES 698.29 million, compared to KES 745.48 million recorded in the previous trading session. Additionally, market capitalization also edged lower by 0.6 percent to KES 3.312.20 trillion, underscoring the cautious tone that characterized the day’s trading.
On the equities front, select counters registered strong gains. Shri Krishana Overseas Plc emerged as the top gainer, rising 9.5 percent to close at KES 11.00. Uchumi Supermarkets followed with a 7.0 percent increase to KES 1.84, while Centum Investments advanced 3.0 percent to KES 15.25. Car & General and Flame Tree Group also recorded gains of 2.8 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively.
Conversely, the day’s top losers were led by Sasini, which declined 8.4 percent to close at KES 27.10. Eveready Plc fell 7.5 percent to KES 1.35, while Crown Paints shed 4.4 percent to KES 65.50. BOC Kenya and Sameer Africa both dropped by 4.1 percent, closing at KES 133.00 and KES 19.80, respectively.
NSE Indices Performance
Performance across key NSE indices mirrored the broader market weakness. The NSE-10 Index declined by 0.8 percent to close at 2,172.95 points, while the NSE-20 Index shed 0.5 percent to settle at 3,622.57 points. Similarly, the NSE-25 Index fell by 0.8 percent to 5,701.79 points, while the Banking Sector Index retreated by 1.0 percent to close at 232.53 points.
Overall market performance was pressured by notable declines in major stocks including ABSA Bank, Kenya Power & Lighting, Co-operative Bank, and Safaricom PLC, which posted losses of 3.4 percent, 3.1 percent, 1.2 percent, and 0.5 percent, respectively. Despite the broader downturn, selective gains were recorded in stocks such as British American Tobacco, Jubilee Holdings, I&M Group, and Williamson Tea, which rose by between 0.5 percent and 2.2 percent, providing limited support to the market.
The day’s trading volumes were concentrated in a few counters, with BK Group emerging as the most actively traded stock, posting an aggregate turnover of KES 162.87 million. Safaricom followed closely with cumulative turnover reaching KES 136.58 million, highlighting continued investor interest in high-liquidity stocks despite the overall market decline.
Also Read: Kenya Successfully Prices $2.25 Billion Dual-Tranche Eurobond to Manage Public Debt
