The NASI closed at 244.72, down 1.14%, with the NSE Banking Sector Index off 0.72% and the Bonds Index roughly flat. Breadth was even at 24 gainers to 23 decliners of 56 counters traded. Oriental Commercial Holdings (OCH) led gainers at +5.63%, while Longhorn Publishers (LKL) fell 6.01%. Turnover was KES 539.4mn, 57.1% below the 18-session average, with EABL, Safaricom (SCOM) and Equity Group (EQTY) the most traded by value. Foreign investors were net buyers at KES 83.4mn, concentrated in SCOM and EQTY, while NSE's own shares and KCB Group (KCB) saw net foreign selling.

KNBS data showed annual inflation rising to 6.8% in September from 6.6% in August, driven by food, transport and housing/fuel costs, which together carry over 57% of the CPI basket. Separately, the NSE and CMA are developing a GDR framework that would let Kenyan investors participate in Dangote Petroleum Refinery's Sh207bn IPO, tied to the Lamu refinery groundbreaking this week. EPRA data showed geothermal supplying 40.91% of generation and Nairobi region consuming 43.92% of national electricity, alongside a leadership change naming Edward Mwirigi Kinyua as EPRA Director General.