The Nairobi Securities Exchange was mixed during the week, affected by continuous data surrounding the coronavirus developments, coupled by local and international economic data. The benchmark NSE All share index (NASI) was up 0.92 points or 0.63.% to close the trading week at 148.04 points. This represented a 4-week gain of 3.01%, but an overall year-to-date performance loss of -11.04%.
The NSE 20 share index gained 2.82 points or 0.16% to close Friday at 1,796.88 points, the NSE25 share index similarly gained 2.20 points or 0.12% from last week’s close to stand at 3,298.82. The NSE 20 and the NSE25 share indices have shed up-to 32.31% and 19.55% respectively in year to date performance.
The bourse’s posted a 23.17 decline in turnover to Kes 2.06 billion from the 2.68 billion transacted the previous week. The volume of shares exchanging hands on the exchange similarly declined by 17.3%, with 84.3 million shares traded as compared to the 101.97 million posted the previous week.
The Banking Sector was the most active sector during the week, with shares worth Kes.911M transacted, this accounted for 44.24% of the week’s traded value. Equity Group Holdings Plc was the most actively traded company in this sector, with 11.5 million shares valued at Kes 399 million transacted. Equity’s share price declined 1.29% to close Friday at Kes.34.55. KCB Group Plc was second, moving 5.8 million shares worth Kes.216 million and closed the week at a trading price of Kes.36.80 per share.
The telecommunications sector was second in activity with Safaricom’s turnover accounting for 41.06% of the week’s traded value, with 42 million shares valued at Kes 846 million transacted. The share saw a 1.82% rise in share price to close the week at Kes 33.55 per share from last week’s close of Kes 32.95 per share.
With the December contracts expiring during the week, the derivatives market of the NSE posted a moderate growth in activity, with 168 contracts valued at Kes.3.5 million concluded as compared to the 117 contracts valued at Kes.3.3 million posted in the previous week.
Trading on the secondary bond market at the Nairobi Securities Exchange posted a 15.49% growth in activity with Kes.15.86 billion worth of bonds traded against the Kes 13.73 billion worth of bonds transacted in the previous week.
