Bulls in Control: NSE Rises Again as Safaricom Powers KES 1.26 Billion Turnover
The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) continued its winning streak on Tuesday, 27th August 2025, as bulls remained firmly in control across all market segments. The Nairobi All Share Index (NASI) advanced by 0.6% to close at 171.93 points, driven by strong activity in blue-chip stocks and sustained local investor confidence.
Market Capitalization Hits a New High
The market added KES 12.82 billion in value, pushing total capitalization to an impressive KES 2.73 trillion. Major indices—NSE 20 and NSE 25—also posted 0.5% and 0.6% gains respectively, signaling broad-based optimism.
Equity Turnover Passes KES 1.2 Billion
Equity turnover jumped to KES 1.26 billion, with volumes traded surging by over 30% to 40.53 million shares. Safaricom once again led the pack with a whopping KES 577.17 million in turnover—nearly half of all market activity.
Other key counters driving the day’s performance included Equity Group, KCB Group, Co-op Bank, and NCBA, reflecting continued interest in banking sector heavyweights.
Bright Spots and Laggards
Eaagads Ltd continued its upward march, gaining 9.9% for the day. It was closely followed by Eveready East Africa, Olympia Capital, and Flame Tree Group—all rallying on improved investor sentiment and speculative buying.
On the losing side, HF Group dropped 6.9%, while Kenya Re, Sanlam Kenya, and Kapchorua Tea faced mild sell pressure. These movements underline a continued rotation between growth and value plays.
Foreign Participation Cools Off
Despite the strong local interest, foreign investor activity dipped to 42.6% of total turnover. The day closed with net foreign outflows of KES 121.10 million, as international investors appeared to take profits following recent gains.
Bonds and Derivatives: Mild Activity
The bond market recorded a slight drop in turnover, down 5.8% to KES 2.43 billion. Infrastructure bonds—especially IFB1/2023/6Yr and IFB1/2022/14Yr—remained in favor, albeit at lower volumes.
In the derivatives space, 7 Safaricom contracts worth KES 249,200 were exchanged, signaling light but steady interest in hedging and speculative strategies.
Outlook: Focus on Fundamentals and Global Cues
With the NSE firmly in positive territory and market breadth improving, all eyes now shift to upcoming corporate actions and global macroeconomic events. Earnings releases, dividend declarations, and geopolitical stability will play a crucial role in shaping investor sentiment as we close out August.
