Here are the shares we will be closely watching in today’s trading at the Nairobi Securities Exchange:

• NIC Bank Rights – The NIC Rights were the top gainers at the NSE yesterday, gaining 2 shillings and 25 cents to close at KES 8.20 per right. NIC is currently undertaking a Rights Issue that began this Monday. Today is the final day for NIC shareholders not wishing to take up their rights to either sell them at the stock market or transfer them to closely affiliated parties. Knowledge of today’s deadline could have driven yesterday’s price surge as NIC shareholders forfeited their rights making them available for trading. We will observe how the trade today.

• Barclays Bank – The shares yesterday closed at a high of KES 14.80 last reached in July last year. The shares have rallied this year, gaining 24 percent on their price since early January. This month has seen the shares cross the 14 shilling mark for the first time since mid-last year. Barclays is Kenya’s fourth most profitable bank having earned 6.3 billion shillings in the six months to June this year. We will watch to see if they top yesterday’s high.

• British American Investments – After rallying to touch this year’s high of KES 6.00 on Wednesday, the shares yesterday dropped 15 cents to become one of the biggest losers at the NSE. We will watch their trading today to see if yesterday’s drop is temporary.