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The number of investors from other East African countries opening trading accounts at Kenya’s Nairobi Stock Exchange is still very small, but has grown more consistently in the last 2 years than other categories of investors.
FTSE has launched a FTSE-ASEA index with the African Securities Exchanges Association, which will help to unlock Africa an investment for larger portfolio investors. The index covers stocks on 16 exchanges and is adjusted for investibility, including free float and liquidity.
Kenyan financial services firm British-American Investments Company Ltd. said on 23 August that its initial public offering (IPO) had only attracted 60.09% of the targeted KSh5.85 billion ($63million).
The International Finance Corporation and 6 leading international finance institutions provided $164 million in financing to Rift Valley Railways International to rehabilitate the Kenya-Uganda railway today (2 August).
British American Investment Company (Kenya) Ltd launched its initial public offer (IPO) this week. It aims to raise KES 5.58 billion (US$62.2 million) for expansion. The offer is open until 5 August, and it to list its shares on the Nairobi Stock Exchange.
I have the honour to be published on the opinions section of the Royal African Society website and the article can be seen along with their excellent blogs I also reprint the article, which is meant to spark debate, and I welcome your comments – is it time for change and what is the way forward?
The Nairobi Stock Exchange and FTSE International are to create new FTSE/NSE share and bond indices. These could be marketed to international investors.
The Nairobi Stock Exchange has bought a new broker back office (BBO) system which it hopes will boost liquidity and attract listings, including offering online trading and is set to go live this March. The exchange and the vendor, Chella Software of India, are training personnel at stockbrokers, investment banks and others. The system cost KSh75 million (US$880,000).
Kenya’s Capital Markets Authority has cut the cost of trading bonds from 0.04% per cent (KSh400 for every KSh1 million transacted) to 0.035% (KSh350 for every KSh1 mn) in order to pass on the lower costs due to automated trading on the Nairobi Stock Exchange. Banks say they still want an Over-The-Counter market to trade bonds alongside the NSE.