The NSE 20-share closed last week at 3,571.20 points, 16.74 points up from Friday’s. The NSE all-share index closed at 77.20 points, up 0.48 points. These gains follow the trend set last week where both indices consistently gained over the entire course of the week.

The shares to watch today include:

• Kenya Airways: the share continues to be of interest as the company has an ongoing rights issue.

• Standard Chartered Bank: The bank announced that it is planning to have a rights issue to increase its authorised share capital (read more on that story here). Such an announcement will have a bearing on the share, with an increase in the share price.

• Kenya Commercial Bank, Barclays Bank, Equity Bank, Cooperative Bank: The shares of the major banks are going to be of particular interest with the parliamentary debate on the Finance Bill 2011 and the banking Amendment Bill 2011 that seeks to cap the interest rates that commercial banks can charge customers on loans.
• Kenya Reinsurance Corporation: the company released its financial report for the period ended December 31^st 2011 and announced a profit of KES 2.036 billion. This is 24% higher than the profit it reported over a similar period the previous year. It will be worthwhile to observe the effect this will have on the performance of the share.