The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) ended August on a strong footing, with all its major indices closing higher on Monday as renewed investor activity pushed share prices up across several sectors.
The NSE All Share Index (NASI), which tracks the overall performance of listed equities, gained 1.19 per cent to close at 251.33 points. The NSE 10 Share Index rose 0.99 per cent to 2,719.98 points, while the NSE 25 Share Index increased by 0.69 per cent to 6,960.48 points.
The NSE 20 Share Index also gained 0.38 per cent to 4,325.62 points, while the Banking Sector Index edged up 0.15 per cent to 285.77 points. By the close of trading, the total value of companies listed on the exchange stood at about Ksh4.26 trillion.
Car & General leads the gainers
Car & General was the biggest winner of the session, with its share price jumping 9.93 per cent to Ksh257.50. Unga Group followed with an 8.86 per cent gain, while SKL rose 7.50 per cent. Diamond Trust Bank added 4 per cent and Express Kenya gained 3.32 per cent.
Car & General has remained one of the most closely watched counters on the NSE after an extraordinary run over the past year. The company’s shares have moved sharply as investors responded to stronger earnings and growth in its motorcycle and equipment businesses.
The company reported a 30 per cent increase in revenue to Ksh15.64 billion for the six months ended June 2026, while profit after tax jumped 308.8 per cent to Ksh2.60 billion. Its share of profit from Watu Credit, its associate involved in asset and mobile-phone financing, rose 382 per cent to Ksh2.04 billion.
Motorcycle sales have also picked up, with Car & General reporting that its Kenyan sales averaged about 12,000 units a month, compared with 7,000 in 2025. The company also increased its interim dividend to Ksh1 per share.
Despite Monday’s recovery, Car & General had experienced heavy selling in the final week of August. Its shares fell for several consecutive sessions before recovering on the last trading day, highlighting the sharp swings that have characterised the counter.
The broader market has had a strong year, with NASI gaining 34.7 per cent since January. Market capitalisation has also remained above the Ksh4 trillion mark, reflecting the rise in share prices across major listed companies.
The improved performance has coincided with stronger activity at the exchange. The NSE reported a 386 per cent increase in half-year profit to Ksh736.9 million, from Ksh151.6 million a year earlier. Equity transaction levy income rose 476 per cent to Ksh770.5 million, helped by increased trading activity and major transactions.
The exchange said the latest session marked “a strong finish to August”, with investor confidence continuing to support market performance.
With August now behind it, investors will be watching whether the momentum carries into September, particularly as companies continue to report financial results and new investment opportunities emerge on the Nairobi bourse.
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