KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange lost 44,000 level after shedding 161 points to drop to 43936 level till midday on Thursday.
The stocks witnessed fluctuation in early trading and gained 51 points to reach 44147 points level in early trading.
On Wednesday, the stock market edged up higher with the benchmark KSE-100 Index settling at 44,096 levels, up 0.5 percent of 210 points after making a high of +414 points.
Traded volumes slightly improved by 13 percent on daily basis to 270 million shares while value traded picked up to $103mn. Top volume stocks were TRG (-0.05 percent) ANL (+6.05 percent), ASL (-2.15 percent) and SSGC (+2.92). Positive sentiments were witnessed in the Gas Utilities, where SNGP (+1.16 percent) and SSGC (+2.92 percent) closed positive.
Active participation was seen in SSGC as the Petroleum Division has sought waiver of liquidated damages for non-supply of gas to an IPP. APL (-0.35 percent) and PSO (-0.32 percent) closed in the red. PSO came under the hammer as receivables of Pakistan State Oil (PSO) have gone up to Rs334.1bn because of default of power sector to the tune of Rs283 billion.