As at the close of business yesterday the NSE 20-share index had climbed, for the second day in a row, by 0.8% to close at 3,454.34 points, the highest since March 9^th this year.

The Co-operative Bank of Kenya share rose during the day by as much as 2% and eventually closed at Ksh 12.75 per share, this is 0.4% higher than it had closed the previous day. This jump could be attributed to the Ksh 7.5 billion loan the bank received from the European Investment Bank (EIB). This loan was part of the Ksh 10 billion loan that the EIB, the European Union’s long-term lending institution, advanced to three local institutions to provide cheaper credit to small businesses in the country.

The shares of Scangroup Limited rose 2.9% to close at Ksh 53.50 per share. This is the highest price the share has achieved since May 2011. This increase could be attributed to investors anticipation that the group will announce high 2011 earnings. The company’s results are expected to be released on 18^th April 2012.