NSE opens week on a high as share value hits Ksh1.3 billion

NAIROBI, KENYA, FEB 26 — The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) opened the week on a high with a total of 65.7 million shares valued at Ksh1.3 billion traded,  against 21 million shares valued at Ksh808 million posted on Friday.

KenolKobil was the day’s main feature with 31 million shares valued at Ksh496 million changing hands at between Ksh15.50 and Ksh15.95.

This comes as the energy and petroleum sector commanded the days’ trading with shares worth Ksh578 million transacted, accounting for 42.06 per cent of the day’s traded value.

The day saw KenGen’s shares climb by 4.06 per cent to trade at Ksh8.95 per share with shares worth Ksh76.9 million transacted.

The power producer’s shares defied the company lower profit margins reported on Friday,   where half year profit for the period ended December 31, dropped 10.9 per cent to Ksh4.1 billion.

Centum’s shares touched a 12-Month high of Ksh48.00 before retreating to close at Ksh47.50 with shares worth Ksh11.7 million transacted.

Telecommunication company -Safaricom was the day’s single biggest mover actively moving 14.5 million shares valued at Ksh428 million, at between Ksh29.25 and Ksh29.75.

“This represented 31.11 per cent of the day’s traded value,” the NSE market report noted.

The banking sector traded shares worth Ksh310 million and accounted for 22.60 per cent of the day’s traded value.

Equity Group Holdings had 5.4 million shares valued at Ksh235 million transacted at between Ksh43.00 and Ksh43.50.

NIC Group was among the day’s winners with its shares up 1.41 per cent to trade at Ksh35.75, moving 1.4 million shares valued at Ksh53 million.

KCB Group moved 212,000 shares worth Ksh9.6 million and closed at Ksh45.50.

The investment sector had shares worth Ksh11.9 million transacted and represented 0.87 per cent of the day’s traded value.

The NSE itself moved 337,000 shares valued at Ksh6.7 million at between Ksh19.50 and Ksh20.00.

Manufacturing and allied sector had shares worth Ksh30.7 million transacted and represented 2.24 per cent  of the day’s traded value.

Unga Group down twenty-five cents to Ksh41.00 moved 603,000 shares valued at Ksh24.8 million.

East Africa Breweries shares slipped by 1.63 per cent to Ksh240.00 with shares worth Ksh5.3 million realized.

The Bond Market had bonds worth Ksh1.2 billion transacted.