The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) continued its solid performance as of July 23, 2025, with major indices registering modest gains amid improved trading activity and steady foreign interest.
The NSE All Share Index (NASI), NSE 25, NSE 10, and NSE 20 all showed positive movement in mid-July, reflecting broad investor confidence in the local equity market.
On July 16, the NSE 25 and NSE 10 recorded gains of approximately 0.4% and 0.3%, respectively, driven largely by strong interest in banking stocks, while the NSE 20 declined slightly by 0.3% x
Market breadth was positive, with average share volumes rising around 8.7% to 20.85 million, and turnover climbing 13.7% to Ksh 480.9 million compared to the previous session.
Foreign investor activity continued to shape the market narrative. Though their participation dipped from 29.7% to 8.8% in traded volume, foreign inflows remained firmly positive, totaling Ksh 49.95 million after a recent UK-led rally.This contrasts starkly with the net outflows seen in the prior session, signaling renewed interest from overseas investors.
Banking sector counters led the charge, featuring dominant performances by Equity Group and KCB Group. Equity Group topped movers on the day, trading Ksh 49.45 per share and accounting for Ksh 291.46 million in value traded.
KCB Group also retained its prominent position, consistently drawing high volumes and bolstering confidence in the sector.
A broader weekly snapshot from early July highlighted sharp gains for key indices NASI jumped 5.7%, NSE 25 was up 5.1%, NSE 10 advanced 4.8%, and NSE 20 gained 4.5% with total equity turnover surging over 120% week-on-week to USD 28.9 million.
Safaricom notably emerged as the week’s best performer with an 8% gain, followed by Equity Group (+5.9%) and Kenya Power (+0.9%).Foreign participation remained healthy with net inflows supporting the recovery.
Year-to-date returns through late June painted a positive picture NASI up around 21.6%, NSE 20 ahead by 16.4%, NSE 10 by 13.6%, and NSE 25 by 13.1%. Despite a slowdown in turnover in some weeks, foreign investors continued to scale back net selling positions, moving from USD 28 million down to approximately USD 27 million net sold YTD.
While liquidity remains uneven with weekly activity varying key sectors like banking, telecoms, and power continue to drive investor sentiment. Safaricom, Equity, KCB, Kenya Power, and KenGen remain market barometers, prompting calls for increased listings in growth sectors to deepen the exchange.
As it stands on July 23, 2025, the NSE presents a resilient outlook supported by foreign inflows, stable macro fundamentals, and sectoral strength, particularly in financials and telecoms. However, market watchers highlight the need for broader participation and new equity listings to ensure sustained momentum and deeper market liquidity moving forward.
Written By Ian Maleve
