STOCKS

Festive season hangover easing at NSE

Recovery from the festive season is slowly stabilising with trading at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) jumping to Ksh1 billion at the close of the week ending January 4.

The week that encompassed the last day of 2018 and the beginning of 2019 saw 3,761 deals exchange hands. The 44 million shares transacted was over 20 million more than the shares traded in the previous week.

An easing return to businesses following the festive season could be the reason for the upsurge.

The previous week however was also disadvantaged for having one day less, having conducted trading in three days as opposed to four. Both weeks missed out on the five day trading week on the back of Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

In contrast, the week ending December 21 had seen 112 million shares posted, valued at Ksh2.27 billion.

The Bonds market is also enduring a recovery from the festive season hangover, posting Ksh3.8 billion worth as compared to Ksh965 million in the previous weekly session. The week ended December 21 had registered Ksh7.5 billion worth of bonds.

Sectors Wrap

All indices however dropped, with the NSE 20 share down 17.07 points to stand at 2783.88. The All Share Index (NASI) ended the week 4.97 points lower to settle at 137.03 while the NSE 25 Share index shaved-off 105.73 points to settle at 3473.59.

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The Banking Sector had shares worth Ksh418 million transacted which accounted for 38.15% of the week’s traded value.

Equity Group was the most actively traded counter in this sector with 8.47 million shares valued at Ksh290 million changing hands at between Ksh33.55 and Ksh35.65.

KCB Group was down 0.27% to Ksh37.35 and moved 2.8 million shares valued at Ksh105.8 million. NIC Group moved 221,000 shares worth Ksh6 million and closed the week at Ksh27.40

The Energy & Petroleum Sector had shares worth Ksh52 million transacted which accounted for 4.75% of the week’s traded value.

KenGen exchanged 3.5 million shares valued at Ksh24.8 million during the week at between Ksh6.80 and Ksh7.20.

Kenya Power & Lighting was up 3.04% to Ksh4.07 and moved 5 million shares valued at Ksh20.8 million.

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The Insurance Sector had shares worth Ksh5.47 million transacted which represented 0.50% of the week’s traded value.

Britam Holdings moved 192,000 shares valued at Ksh1.9 million at between Ksh9.30 and Ksh10.50.

The Investment Sector had shares worth Ksh2.2 million transacted which accounted for 0.20% of the week’s traded value.

Centum recorded a 6.96% gain to close the week at Ksh29.20 with shares worth Ksh1.9 million transacted.

The Manufacturing & Allied Sector had shares worth Ksh171 million transacted which represented 15.63% of the week’s traded value.

E.A Breweries saw 956,000 shares valued at Ksh166 million changing hands at between Ksh168 and Ksh180.

B.A.T closed the week 6.93% higher to Ksh725 moving 5,000 shares valued at Ksh3.7 million.

In the Telecommunication Sector, Safaricom was the week’s biggest mover with 19.9 million shares valued at Ksh439 million changing hands at between Ksh21 and Ksh23. This represented 40.13% of the week’s traded value.