KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange Thursday opened on positive note after adding 44 points to reach 43452 level in early trading.
On Wednesday, the stocks failed to maintain positive streak, as profit-taking was witnessed in banking and cement sectors.
Both sectors cumulatively eroded 140 points from the index points. Consequently, market closed at 43,408 points, losing 210 points.
Lotte Chemicals (LOTCHEM) gained investors attention and remained top volume leader with traded volume of 32m shares, as PTA-PX margins improved. Fauji Foods (FFL) and Engro Foods (EFOODS) went up by 5 percent and 2.3 percent as market rumors suggest expected rise in fresh milk prices (this will reduce packaged-lose milk price differential, resulting in higher packaged milk consumption).
The broader market index witnessed rise of 30 percent in traded volume, however, value remained flat. The advance to decline ratio remained at 1.12 as 184 stocks closed in green zone and 164 in red zone.
Top 5 stocks including PAKT (+3.2 percent), PPL (+0.8 percent), EFUG (+4.1 percent), DAWH (+0.8 percent) & INDU (+1.4 percent) added 55 points to the index gain, whereas stocks including HBL (-2.7 percent), LUCK (-1.6 percent), ENGRO (-1.2 percent), HUBC (-1.4 percent) & OGDC (-0.9 percent) withheld 172 points from the index.
