The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) recorded a decline in activity during the week, with major blue-chip counters having a sustained rally in terms of price action, coming in a week that was filled with news across various counters including Safaricom, Kengen, East African Portland Cement Company and Equity Bank.
The benchmark All share index of the Nairobi Securities Exchange closed the week broadly higher, adding 6.91 points to settle at 164.02 points. This represented a 1-week gain of 4.4%, a 4-week gain of 3.69%, and an overall year-to-date gain of 7.83%.
The NSE 20 share index was up 23.84 points or 1.28% to close Friday at 1,889.77 points, similarly, the NSE25 share index added 134.57 points or 3.87% from last week’s close to stand at 3,612.06. The NSE 20 and the NSE25 share indices have gained up-to 1.14% and 5.76% respectively in year to date performance.
The bourse’s weekly turnover posted a further decline for the second consecutive week, with the turnover declining by 35.01% to Kes 2.03 billion from the 3.13 billion transacted the previous week. Similarly, the volume of shares exchanging hands on the exchange decreased by 37.76% to 68.02 million from the 109.23 million posted the previous week.
Safaricom Plc maintained the position of the top trader during the week, with shares valued at Kes.750 million transacted. Safaricom continued the rally, with the company touching an all time high of Kes 39.00 per share before easing and closing the week at 38.35 per share. This represented 36.89% of the week’s traded value.
In the week, the Telco surprised shareholders with declaring an interim dividend for the first time, and energy company Kengen Plc received approval from Djibouti for geothermal drilling contract valued at Kes 709 million.
The Banking Sector came in second with shares valued at Kes.135 million transacted which accounted for 38.22% of the week’s traded value. KCB Group Plc rose by 2.56% to Kes.38.00, up from Kes.37.05 registered the previous week with shares worth Kes.268 million transacted. Equity Group Holdings Plc up 1.61% to Kes.37.85 moved 3.9 million shares worth Kes.147 million.
East African Breweries Plc continued its gaining streak, adding 5.90% in price action to Kes.175.00 with 2.3 million valued at Kes.410 million exchanging hands. British American Tobacco similarly turned positive, adding 1.01% in share price to close the week at Kes.425 and 139,000 shares valued at Kes.58.9 million transacted.
NSE Bonds & Derivatives
The Derivatives Market of the Nairobi Securities Exchange closed the week with a total of 33 contracts valued at Kes. 1.0 million transacted, this was a drop in transaction value from the 106 contracts valued at Kes.2.5 million posted in the preceding week.
Trading on the secondary bond market at the Nairobi Securities Exchange posted a 0.58% rise in activity with Kes.22.31 billion worth of bonds traded against the Kes 22.18 billion worth of bonds transacted in the previous week.
Also Read: Safaricom Declares Kes 0.45 Interim Dividend
