Browsing: Capital Markets Authority (CMA)

Forex trading is the buying or selling of currency on the international currency market.

Forex trading aims at extracting profits from the price movements of the currencies. Therefore, forex traders aim to make money from buying a currency at a low price or exchange rate and selling at a higher price. It involves two currencies while the trade is facilitated by a forex broker.

Traders often use margin trading to speculate on currencies, risk factors increase due to the involvement of leverage and margins which leads traders to risk even more than their invested amount.

Forex Trading

Forex trading determines the exchange rates of all global currencies and is the largest financial market in the world with daily transactions of $6.6 trillion. Forex trading has high liquidity, operates 24-hours, has low transactions costs, easy to use platforms and has fast-paced regulations.

In the past foreign exchange market was limited to …

Kenya’s Capital Markets Authority (CMA) has for the fifth year been feted as the ‘Most Innovative Capital Markets Regulator in Africa 2019’ by the International Finance Magazine.

This is in recognition of its ongoing efforts to facilitate innovations in the capital market in Kenya, East Africa’s economic powerhouse.

READ ALSO:Another feather on Kenya’s Capital Markets Authority as London applauds

“The Authority is pleased to receive this recognition for the fifth consecutive year from this respected publication, which is a testament to the authority’s commitment to supporting innovation as a catalyst for transformative growth of the capital markets,’ said CMA Chief Executive Paul Muthaura.

At the core of its strategic objectives, CMA aims to leverage technology to drive efficiency in the capital Markets value chain.

“We target to effectively balance robust regulatory and compliance requirements with the objectives of market deepening and growth.   This involves consistent evaluation of regulatory approaches …

Cytonn Investments has filed an application with the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) to register a Development Real Estate Investment Trust, (DREIT), seeking to raise Ksh2.0 billion(US$19.3million) of capital.

The DREIT, which is innovatively structured to pay a coupon over the life of the development, will be deployed for the first phases of two of the firm’s real estate projects, The Ridge in Ridgeways, and RiverRun Estates in Ruiru.

READ ALSO:Cytonn granted REITs manager license ahead of NSE launch

This capital raise is envisioned to help Cytonn diversify funding sources for their real estate development pipeline, which has a project value of over Ksh82.0 billion (US$269.9million).

The leading alternative investment management firm in the East African Region (Cytonn) has traditionally relied on private sector funding, which while easier to access, has been more expensive.

This has thus necessitated the development of alternative sources of funding, allowing development of institutional-grade real …

Kenya’s banking industry has witnessed a myriad of changes in the last four years as lenders adjust to remain profitable since the capping of interest rates.

Mergers and acquisitions have become a norm in the country as the rate cap law, which came into place in September 2016, continues to weigh on banks’ earnings and loan growth.

READ:Why banks in Kenya will lend at a maximum 13%

The latest is the KCB Group PLC (KCB) take-over of National Bank of Kenya (NBK), which now sets the stage for the integration of the second tier lender into KCB.

In an announcement approved by the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) and published on Friday September 6, 2019, KCB confirmed that it had received consent to acquire NBK from shareholders holding 297,130,033 issued ordinary shares out of 338,781,200 issued ordinary shares, representing 87.7 per cent by the offer closure date on August 30, …

Kenya’s capital markets performed dismally in the second quarter of the year, latest data shows, despite political stability and growing interest from foreign-based investors.

The Capital Markets Authority (CMA) report for the quarter ended June 2019 shows secondary equities market registered slow activity during the review period.

Equity turnover for Q2.2019 stood at Ksh32.89 billion (US$316.3million), compared to Ksh45.25 billion(US$435.1million ) registered in the previous quarter; a 27.31 per cent decrease.

Similarly, market capitalization recorded a 3.46 per cent decrease to Ksh2.278 trillion (US$21.9billion) from Ksh2.360 trillion(US$22.7billion)in Q1. 2019.

READ ALSO:NSE dips as 2018 ends on a bear market territory

Traded volumes followed the same trend, falling by 3.46 per cent to 1.39 billion during the period under review.

Other composite indicators such as the NSE All Share and NSE 20 Shares indices likewise recorded decreases of 5.11 per cent and 7.51 per cent closing the quarter at 149.61 …

KCB Group shareholders have approved the proposal to acquire 100 per cent of the issued ordinary shares of National Bank of Kenya Limited (NBK) via share swap.

This approval follows the offer made by KCB Group on April 18, 2019 to acquire the shares of struggling NBK by way of a share swap of 10 ordinary shares of NBK for every one ordinary share of KCB. The transaction is subject to regulatory and NBK shareholders approvals.

The acquisition is part of KCB’s ongoing strategy to explore opportunities for new growth while investing in and maximizing the returns from its existing businesses, the management has said.

“For us, the acquisition is an opportunity to strengthen the deposit base and lending capacity, increase cost efficiencies due to economies of scale and boost transactional revenue through leveraging of technology. NBK maintains a strong deposit franchise and a wide branch network,” said KCB

Group …

After more than three years of waiting, the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) has received regulatory approvals to proceed with the launch of the derivatives market.

This follows the successful conclusion of the Derivatives Market Pilot Test and subsequent submissions to the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) and the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK).

READ:Investors to commence derivatives trading at Nairobi bourse

NSE now sees the launch of the Derivatives Market as a significant milestone in the growth and deepening of the country’s’ capital markets and the wider Kenyan economy.

“Derivatives Markets provide new opportunities to investors, enabling them to better diversify their portfolios and allow for the efficient deployment of capital. Furthermore, through the Derivatives Market, investors will be able to form expectations about underlying assets in order to manage the price risks,” NSE Chief executive Geoffrey Odundo has noted.

This initiative makes the NSE the second African Exchange to …

The Kenyan government has once again gone to the market with its unique mobile phone based bond M-Akiba, as it seeks to raise funds to support infrastructure development in the country.

In a second issue this year, the National Treasury has re-opened the retail infrastructure bond as targeting to raise Ksh250 million (US$2.47million).

The bond was opened to the public on Monday, May 27, and will run up to Friday June 7, 2019. The value date shall be on Monday, June 10, 2019 and will start trading at the NSE on Tuesday, June 11, 2019, the government has said.

“Following the successful uptake of M-Akiba Retail Infrastructure Bond in March which attracted 79 per cent subscription rate, The National Treasury, the Central Depository and Settlement Corporation and the Nairobi Securities Exchange have jointly reopened the M-Akiba Retail Infrastructure Bond Issue No MAB/2/2017/03 to offer Kenyans another opportunity to invest in …

The Capital Markets Authority (CMA) has taken enforcement action against individuals in Kenya who it says has been culpable for unethical undertakings in fixed income securities in the last fear years. The move is seen as CMA’s effort to instill proffesionalism in the securities trading in the country mainly through a scheme known as ‘Front Running’.

CMA has taken enforcement action against Mr. Rodrick Muhoro, a bond trader, following conclusion of investigations with respect to allegation of irregular trading of Government Securities in 2016 and 2017.

Consequently,  CMA has imposed a financial penalty of Kshs 208 Million being twice the amount of benefit Mr Muhoro received from irregular trading and banned him from conducting bonds trading for a period of 10 years.

“According to the investigations, Mr. Muhoro conspired with brokers to defraud investors in bond transactions undertaken between January 2016 and June 2017 through front running,”  a press stament …

The Kenya shilling is arguably the strongest currency among the East Africa Community (EAC) member states, giving the region’s economic power house a competitive edge over her peers in international trade. 

READ:Here are Kenya’s biggest trading partners

However, the country has been operating a managed shilling than a free float currency, running a risk of making its exports more expensive in the short run as compared to competitors, eventually causing a reduction in export earnings and the economy’s growth, a report by Amana Capital has established.

Amana’s “Kenya’s Economic Puzzle – Putting the pieces together” report highlighted that 10 years ago, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) stood at 97 but has since shot up to 192 to date, meaning what the value Ksh100 (USD0.99) could buy in January 2009 can only buy 50 per cent of that now.

This translates into a 50 per cent devaluation of the purchasing …