The Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) has postponed the commencement date of the import standardisation mark. Importers were from August 1, 2015, required to display a secure quality mark for all goods coming into the country.

A new battle is brewing between Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and the stock brokerage fraternity. This follows a notice by the taxman that brokers continue remitting capital gains tax on sale of securities until a new levy introduced in this year's budget kicks in next year.

Kenya Commercial Bank Group's profit before tax shot up 13 per cent to Sh13.2 billion for the period ending June 30, 2015, compared to Sh11.7 billion made over a similar period last year.

The Government has announced plans to provide both financial support and planting materials to over 5,000 cotton farmers.

Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) is holding discussions with National Treasury and Capital Markets Authority (CMA) with a view to lowering the 0.3 per cent transaction levy, introduced during this year’s budget.

House prices in Kenya increased marginally by 0.2 per cent in the last three months from 2.75 the previous quarter due to a rise in interest rates and inflation, according to Kenya Bankers Association (KBA).

A rise in interest rates and steep climb in cost of living had a dampening effect on house prices over the last three months.

Activity in Nairobi and its environs faces significant disruption when President Barack Obama’s entourage touches down at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) today.

A notable decline in activity at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) has been attributed to foreign investors’ flight to more attractive destinations, such as Nigeria and South Africa, or cashing in on gains made over the past few years.

The move by a consortium of local and international banks to finance a $350 million (Sh35.7 billion oil pipeline deal in Kenya - one of the country’s mega projects is changing the financing dynamics in the country, with local banks fighting for a pie of the lucrative projects.

A rise in the use of the electronic cargo clearance system has increased the volume of Kenya’s cross-border trade, but also seen users complain of inefficiencies in the new technology.

Treasury has signed a $500 million (Sh50 billion) credit agreement with the World Bank for the construction and rehabilitation of a road linking Kenya with South Sudan.

The dominance of telecoms giant Safaricom Limited in the mobile money transfer business is set to face the first credible threat.

Competition for a share of the lucrative mobile money transfer business is set to move a notch higher. This follows tomorrow’s launch of Equitel - a technology platform that will link Equity Bank with Airtel - a mobile phone service provider.

The decision by Central Bank of Kenya’s top policy organ, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to schedule another meeting for August 5, 2015 must have sent a chill down the spine of many individual households struggling to service their loans from commercial banks.

The procurement of an Integrated Customs Management System (ICMS) is headed for yet another round of battle, only hours after the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) announced it had signed a contract with the firm that had clinched the deal.

Investors can now set up a company within a single day in key reforms the Government has taken to improve global attractiveness and rankings in the ease of doing business.

The worrying decline of the Kenyan Shilling, yesterday forced out Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) governor Dr Patrick Njoroge from a self-imposed hiatus to give the strongest assurance yet that the local currency will claw back lost value against the dollar in the coming months.

Standard Chartered Bank has partnered with Safaricom to introduce a platform that allows customers and agents using the Lipa na M-Pesa service to convert electronic money into cash in real time.

Tanzania authorities have invited submissions from interested parties who feel that its decision to revoke the East African Breweries Ltd (EABL)-Serengeti merger could hurt their own interests.

There have been concerns that local interest rates, which determine the cost of accessing credit, are at overly high levels compared to global banking markets.

Mobile phone operator Safaricom has introduced a new suite of data bundles for its customers supported by huge investments in a 4G network that offers faster speeds, all aimed at increasing its market share in the growing data market.

The move by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) to increase cost of credit is likely to affect both developers and buyers of property, especially those in the low-cost housing segment.

Although tightening of credit could ease pressure on the shilling and rein in inflation, bankers warn downside risks arising from the latest measure by Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) to raise both its policy and base rates could stifle credit uptake and business growth.

“The outlook for the global economy remains uncertain. In particular, the recent developments in Greece, possible turbulence in the global markets, and the uncertainty around the timing of increase in US interest rates are cause for concern,” Monetary Policy Committee Chairman and Governor of Central Bank of Kenya Patrick Njoroge said.

“This will not be a market segment for all but the more sophisticated institutional investors, money managers and owners of the underlying assets,” NIC Capital Managing Director Maurice Opiyo.

Kenyan manufacturers want to be exempted from the one per cent levy on imported raw material coming into the East African region.

The proposal by National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich for banks to increase their minimum core capital progressively for the next three years has opened a new opportunity for micro-finance institutions

President Uhuru Kenyatta has formally appointed Dr Patrick Njoroge as the ninth boss at the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), as the public purse holder institution enters into a new era.

The stockbrokerage and investment banking fraternity plans to engage Treasury, the Kenya Revenue Authority and other stakeholders over the recently introduced 0.3 per cent withholding tax to be charged on all share transactions at the bourse.

The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) has signed a Sh390.4 million financing deal with Statistics Sweden in a project that will include training of staff, institutional capacity building as well as generation of statistics on economy, agriculture, environment and gender.

A draft policy document that aims to shift Kenyan household energy needs from unsustainable options like firewood and charcoal to cleaner modern forms like Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG), is ready.

Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) is pondering the next move following the appointment of its non-executive director Sheila M'Mbijiwe as Central Bank of Kenya's (CBK) deputy governor.

It will now be possible for any individual or business having a tax dispute with Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to demand to know why the authority is planning to visit them, what it is seeking to find out, what documents it is seeking and when the planned compliance, audit or investigations processes will be complete before agreeing to host the taxman.

Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) Kenya Limited has launched an insurance agency business, as the lender looks to grow its earnings from new business lines.

It is now feared the roll out of the new Kenya Revenue Authority customs clearance software that is designed to ease international trade could be hit by delays.

The Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury Henry Rotich will have to table the Finance Bill 2015/16 before Parliament for discussions.

State-owned National Bank of Kenya (NBK) has said it will sell off a number of assets among them properties around the country to raise some Sh1.2 billion needed to drive its restructuring agenda, grow its loan book and profitability as well as push up customer numbers.

The National Treasury is planning to increase the minimum capitalisation level for commercial banks and insurance companies from Sh1 billion to Sh5 billion.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has challenged the youth to be innovative, saying Kenya is a vibrant nation seeking to thrive in a fast-evolving global context.