KARACHI
The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a positive but low-volume and volatile session on Wednesday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index gaining 67.28 points (+0.15 percent) to close at 44,955.05 points.
The market opened on a positive note but switched between the green and red territories throughout the session. The market remained dull with one only one company’s shares (TRG) saw trading of over 10 million shares. Even the number of companies whose share prices suffered in both the KSE-100 and KSE All indices remained higher than the companies whose share prices made gains, despite an overall positive session.
The market struggled due to uncertainty over the sixth review of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the $6 billion extended fund facility (EFF) programme. Short-term investors preferred to sell equities after the IMF website, which lists its executive board calendar, showed Pakistan’s discussion would be taken up on February 2 instead of January 28.
The KSE-100 Index moved in a range of 317.80 points, showing an intraday high of 45,030.45 points and a low of 44,712.65 points. Among other indices, the KSE All Share Index gained 59.29 points (+0.19 percent) to close at 30,793.57 points, while KMI All Share Islamic Index gained 27.92 points (+0.13 percent) to close at 22,197.72 points.
A total of 345 companies traded shares in the stock exchange, out of them shares of 136 closed up, shares of 184 closed down while shares of 25 companies remained unchanged. Out of 94 traded companies in the KSE-100 Index, 38 closed up, 51 closed down and five remained unchanged.
The overall market volumes decreased by 69.73 million to 137.31 million shares. Total volumes traded for the KSE-100 Index decreased by 30.09 million to 66.92 million shares. The number of total trades decreased by 16,285 to 83,738, while the value traded decreased by Rs2.75 billion to Rs5.36 billion. Overall, market capitalisation increased by Rs14.85 billion.
Among scrips, TRG topped the volumes with 18.81 million shares, followed by GGL (6.01 million) and TPLP (5.89 million). Stocks that contributed significantly to the volumes included TRG, GGL, TPLP, WTL and CNERGY, which formed around 30 percent of total volumes.
In terms of rupee, UPFL remained the top gainer and witnessed an increase of Rs1,562 per share, closing at Rs22,409 whereas the runner-up was COLG, the share price of which climbed up by Rs171.99 to Rs2,466. RMPL remained the top loser in terms of rupee and witnessed a decrease of Rs300 per share, closing at Rs9,600, followed by SFL, the share price of which declined by Rs53.8 to close at Rs812 per share.
The sectors taking the index towards north were technology & communication with 45 points, chemical (26 points), commercial banks (20 points), investment banks / investment companies / securities companies (15 points) and cement (11 points). The most points added to the index were by TRG which contributed 54 points followed by COLG (30 points), POL (20 points), BAHL (16 points) and HUBC (15 points).
The sectors taking the index towards south were fertilizer with 33 points, oil & gas exploration companies (5 points), and automobile parts & accessories, oil & gas marketing companies and textile composite (4 points each). The most points taken off the index were by FFBL which stripped the index of 21 points followed by SYS (13 points), FFC (12 points), and HBL and OGDC (10 points each).
