NSE catch up

Slight recovery this week or taking of positions before Co-op is downloaded on 22nd? Unless investors are reacting to the lowering of cash ratios and anticipated drop in inflation, its hard to see where a recovery is coming from. The other reason could be investors buying early before the expected rise in the March results season.
Other themes:

• Brokers in trouble: This is not breaking news but lower volumes are now manifesting themselves in brokers laying off staff and being massively in the red. Licence renewals are due shortly so lets wait and see how many Stella Kalonzo witholds.
• Everready not ready: Profits down by 118% due to lower sales. Cash flow looks better though still positive and it'll be helped by lower Zinc prices. Why doesn't just sign an agreement to do distribution of Chinese batteries? Centum still has a stake...
• Kenya Pipeline is finally contemplating listing. Good news... Though the 2008 numbers aren't making good reading, the dividend is something else.

Macro thoughts: I was puzzled by CBK's move last week given its rosy pictures and also current inflation levels. Jimnah's widely publicised article now makes the CBK action add up. The economy as I've intimated is in trouble. Some of his ideas make sense (expansion of public works), others are just self-serving and hypocritical (he was lead broker/advisor et al on Safcom IPO) and others don't make sense (controls on offshore investing). Bottomline, gova is broke so opening t-bills to a wider audience makes sense. Inflation remains a concern because there is no real evidence that agricultural supplies are improving and oil prices do remain sticky. I expect the economy in 2009 to grow at a similar to this year.