The NSE in Focus: How the Stocks Performed on Thursday

Positive performance in the equities market was observed in Thursday’s trading session which saw all market indicators closing the third consecutive day in the green.

The NASI Index rose 0.54 percent to close at 123.43 points. The NSE-20 Share index gained 1.11 percent to 2833.09 points while the liquidity-biased NSE-25 Share Index advanced 0.71 percent to close at 3174.11 points.

The marked positive trend was despite the 83.16 percent decline in turnover to 251.77 million shillings. Shareholder wealth, as measured by market capitalization, increased 0.54 percent in the session.

The A/D ratio, a measure of market breadth, skewed towards the advancing counters (19) against the declining counter (14). Insurance Sector, edged 1.49 percent, to emerge as the top gaining sector. The sector was propelled by the share performance of Sanlam Kenya Plc (NSE: PAFR) and Britam Holdings Ltd (NSE: BRIT) which gained 10.00 percent and 2.08 percent respectively. Britam counter recorded the highest traded volume – 560,200 shares – in the sector on account of its attractive price levels.

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS) sector was the biggest loser; weighed down by the share price decline of its sole component Stanlib Fahari I-Reit (NSE: FAHR-I).

The table below shows Equity Market Highlights

The table below shows how the Indexes performed on Thursday

Foreign Participation at the NSE on Thursday

Foreign investors accounted for 44.93 percent of total turnover against 55.07 percent of local participation. The foreign activity was a notable drop from the 91.00 percent recorded in the previous session.

Distributive activities were observed in the session, resulting in net outflows of 15.29 million shillings compared to Wednesday’s net inflows of 18.75 million shillings.

East African Breweries Ltd. (NSE:EABL) recorded a turnover of 36.52 million shillings, representing 14.51 percent of total activity and 32.29 percent of foreign investor activity; as the day’s most actively traded stock. Safaricom Ltd. (NSE: SCOM) came second, recording a turnover of 32.32 million shillings; to account for 12.84 percent of total market activity and 28.58 percent of foreign investor activity.

British American Tobacco Kenya Ltd. (NSE: BAT) posted the day’s highest net inflows worth 4.50 million shillings. The day’s highest net outflows, 8.90 million shillings was posted by Athi River Mining Ltd. (NSE: ARM).