INDICES

The NSE 20 Share Index today dropped 0.39 percent to 3,815.44 points from 3,830.24 points yesterday while the All Share Index gained 0.23 percent to 83.46 points from 83.27 points yesterday.

HIGHEST VOLUMES

Safaricom was the most traded share today with 3.61 million shares up from 1.27 million shares yesterday while second was Barclays Bank with 1.16 million shares tied with Equity Bank. The fourth most active counter was Kenya Re-Insurance with 913,500 shares traded while fifth was CIC Insurance Group with 483,700 shares traded down from 1.49 million shares yesterday.

COUNTER WATCHLIST

• Barclays Bank – On the day that saw the bank post an 18 percent rise in pre-tax profit, the share closed with no change in price from yesterday at KES 14.05 per share. The share was however the second most traded with 1.16 million shares traded. Read more on the bank’s half-year results here.

• Kenya Re-Insurance Corporation – Today it emerged that the re-insurer has engaged an Australian firm to provide expertise and training for underwriting in East Africa’s emerging oil and gas industry which Kenya Re hopes to position itself in (Business Daily). Shares in the re-insurer were top gainers again for a second consecutive day, climbing 4.31 percent to close at KES 10.45.

• KenolKobil – The share lost for a second day to close 1.89 percent lower at KES 15.55. Shares in the petroleum marketer  appear to be gradually losing value after speculation on a lucrative takeover deal by Swiss-based Puma Energy  drove up the share’s price beginning mid-June.

• Marshalls East Africa – Shares in the motor dealer closed at KES 12.50 similar to yesterday on the day it emerged through a Daily Nation advertisement that the company is fully realigning to the KIA brand of vehicles and away from TATA, Peugeot and Honda.