KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange benchmark KSE-100 Index closed the week on positive note as volumes remained subdued after a three-day Eid holidays.
The day kicked off on a negative note as the index fell nearly 150 points during the early hours before recovery began. A buying spree, especially after the mid-session interval, took the index past the 42,600 mark with fertilisers and energy sectors attracting interest.
At close, the benchmark KSE 100-share Index recorded an increase of 163.19 points or 0.38% to settle at 42,588.29.
In the banking sector, HBL (-0.71%) closed in the red, however MCB (+0.94) and UBL (+0.30%) closed positive. Likewise, LUCK (+0.09%), closed in positive but DGKC (-0.71%) and FCCL (-0.23%) closed in the red.
Major heavyweights namely, OGDC (+0.42%), ENGRO (+0.18%), MCB (+0.94%), UBL (+0.30%), LUCK (+0.09%), FFC (+1.28%), POL (+0.58%) and HUBC (+0.84%) cumulatively contributed 75 points.
Traded volumes decreased by 21% day-on-day to 116 million shares, while value traded plummeted to $36 million. Top volume stocks were UNITY (+5%), PREMA (+4.84%) and TRG (+4.28%).
Overall, trading volumes decreased to 115.9 million shares compared with Monday’s tally of 147.6 million. The value of shares traded during the day was Rs4.5 billion.
Shares of 341 companies were traded. At the end of the day, 190 stocks closed higher, 133 declined while 18 remained unchanged.
WorldCall Telecom was the volume leader with 22.5 million shares, gaining Rs0.07 to close at Rs2.10. It was followed by Unity Foods with 7.8 million shares, gaining Rs2.08 to close at Rs43.7 and At-Tahur Limited with 7.2 million shares, gaining Rs1.45 to close at Rs31.42.