Nairobi bourse closes 2016 on positive note as key indices rise

The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) closed the year on a positive note as turnover rose 37 percent and a rally in share prices pushed the 20 Share Index 30 points up.

Equity turnover edged up Friday, the last day of trading in 2016, to 3.6 million U.S. dollars on a volume of 10.6 million shares from 9.4 million worth 2.6 million dollars in the previous session.

On the other hand, the 20 Share Index rose 29.6 points to close the day at 3,186.21. The surge brought to total number of points gained in the last three days to 73.

Safaricom, Nation Media Group, Kenolkobil, Kenya Commercial Bank, Barclays Bank and BAT Kenya are some of the large stocks whose prices rose by between 0.5 percent and 10 percent.

Kenya's leading telecommunication service provider Safaricom was the top day's mover, trading some 6 million shares at 0.19 dollars.

NIC Bank was the second top day's trader, after exchanging 1.6 million shares at unchanged price of 0.26 dollars.

KenolKobil, CIC Insurance and Home Afrika were the other stocks in the top five day's list, trading 847,600, 423,100 and 270,200 shares respectively.

During the Friday trading, foreign investors whose participation stood at 77 percent, were net buyers, with inflows rising 43 percent.

Similarly, the All Share Index (NASI) closed the day at 133.34 points, a rise of 2 points while the NSE 25 Share Index stood at a high of 3,530.07 points. Endit