INDICES

The NSE All-Share Index today was up 0.71 to close at 82.51 points from yesterday’s 81.80 points while the NSE 20 Share Index closed 26.16 points higher than yesterday at 3,790.07 points. Today saw 13,291,300 more shares traded on the NSE than yesterday in 1,408 deals compared to 1,215 deals yesterday.

HIGHEST VOLUMES

Safaricom was for a second day the most traded share with 12.16 million shares traded up from 7.46 million shares yesterday. The Equity bank share was the second most traded today with 7.48 million shares moving across the bank’s counter. Co-operative Bank of Kenya was the third most traded today with 3.83 million shares. Fourth was Mumias Sugar Company with 1.29 million shares traded. Kenya Power & Lighting Company was fifth with 589,400 shares traded compared to 1.16 million shares yesterday.

COUNTER WATCHLIST

• KCB – The share closed unmoved today at KES 23.00. It was reported in today’s Business Daily that KCB Group shareholders may have to raise more capital through a cash call to finance the bank’s planned expansion into central and southern Africa in accordance with new CBK capital regulations.
• Kenya Airways – The share gained for a sixth consecutive day to close 1.05% higher at KES 14.50 up from yesterday’s 14.35. Last week the airline announced it will borrow Sh159.6 billion ($1.9 billion) from African Import-Export Bank to finance the purchase of 20 new aircraft according to a Bloomberg news report.
• KenolKobil – The share was a top gainer today, gaining for the second consecutive day to close at KES 16.40 up 6.14% from yesterday’s close. According to a report by Bloomberg,  The share’s price may be rising due to speculation on an acquisition of the petroleum marketer by Puma Energy BV, a Geneva based subsidiary of Trafighura Beheer BV.