The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) closed the month of April on a positive note, with major indices recording broad-based gains.
The Nairobi All Share Index (NASI) rose by 5.4% to close at 205.34 points from 194.82 in the previous month, largely driven by gains in large-cap stocks such as Co-operative Bank, Stanbic Bank, and Safaricom Plc, which advanced by 15.9%, 11.3%, and 8.0%, respectively.
The NSE 20 and NSE 25 gained 3.4% and 4.6% to close at 3,547.53 points and 5,667.98 points, respectively.
All indices recorded year-to-date gains. The NSE 20, NSE 25 and NASI posted year-to-date gains of 12.9%, 10.7%, and 9.6%, respectively, underscoring continued investor confidence in the bourse.
Trading activity picked up moderately, with 653.6 million shares exchanging hands, up 3.6% from 630.7 million in the previous month. However, equity turnover plummeted by 20.1% to KES 15.2 billion, compared to KES 19.1 billion in the prior month. Market capitalization reached KES 3.41 trillion, up 5.4% from KES 3.23 trillion in the previous month.
National carrier Kenya Airways emerged as the standout performer, gaining 32.4% to close the month at KES 6.50. BOC Kenya ranked the second, rising 24.3%, supported by strong FY2025 results. Bank of Kigali rose by 16.1%, while Co-operative Bank advanced by 15.9%.
Automobile firm, Car and General completed the list with a 13.6% increase, supported by impressive FY2025 results. The firm posted a 365.5% surge in profit after tax to KES 2.45 billion, marking the highest net income in its history. Car and General also recommended a final dividend of KES 3.12 per share.
On the downside, Flame Tree Group Holdings emerged the biggest decliner, shedding 17.1%. The company’s Board of Directors issued a profit warning, expecting a reversal from profitability for the period ended December 2025.
Africa Mega Agricorp followed with an 8.1% drop, while as Uchumi Supermarket lost 7.8%. Shri Krishana Overseas slipped 7.2%, as Umeme Plc rounded off the top losers with an 6.9% decline.
Foreign investors remained net sellers, recording net outflows of KES 2.0 billion, compared to net Outflows of KES 4.3 billion in the previous month, signaling continued profit taking. Activity in the fixed income segment was subdued, as evidenced by a decline in turnover to KES 217.9 billion from KES 329.5 billion.
Last Session
The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) ended the session on May 4, 2026, on a weaker footing, with the Nairobi All Share Index (NASI) shedding 0.8% to close at 203.76 points. This decline reversed momentum from the previous session, driven largely by a retreat in high-valuation banking stocks and large-cap counters. The market’s downward tilt was mirrored across other key indices, with the NSE-10 and NSE-20 indices both declining by 1.2% to close at 2,109.97 and 3,503.52 points, respectively.
Equity turnover retreated by 12.8% to settle at KES 737.70 million, down from KES 845.58 million in the preceding session. This decline in activity was accompanied by a 0.8% drop in market capitalization, which closed the day at KES 3,379.11 billion.
Car & General led the gainers, surging 9.6% to close at 80.00, while Longhorn Publishers rose 5.4% to reach 3.12. Positive momentum was also seen in the manufacturing and energy sectors, with Africa Mega Agricorp and Total Kenya gaining 4.6% and 4.0% respectively, while Olympia Capital Holdings rounded out the top five with a 3.9% increase to settle at 7.50.
Flame Tree Group emerged as the session’s steepest loser, falling 10.3%. The banking sector faced significant headwinds as major players—ABSA Bank Kenya, Standard Chartered, and Co-operative Bank—all recorded declines exceeding 5.0%. Nation Media Group (NMG) also continued its downward trend, shedding 5.7%.
BK Group was the most actively traded counter of the day, moving a substantial KES 388.87 million in turnover. It was followed by Equity Group, which transacted KES 121.17 million.
