KARACHI: Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) closed higher on Tuesday with benchmark KSE-100 Index surging over 400 points on improved activity. Bullish sentiments prevailed at the market, taking KSE-100 index up by 412 points to close at 43,253. Volumes also improved by 92 percent day-on-day as a total of 219 million shares were traded through the trading session. Market took cues from higher regional markets and had a good run in the morning with Index testing 43,200 resistance. Ferts carried momentum and led gains on buying interest both from foreigners and locals investors while Textiles too caught attention on positive morning news of UK supporting the continuity of GSP Plus Status for Pakistan. As the day progressed, wider market witnessed profit-taking however buying in Index names in final ninety minutes of trading put benchmark Index back on positive trajectory. Meanwhile, DG Khan Cement (DGKC) gaining 0.5 percent recovered from intra-day losses to close in green as investors cheered higher cash declared by the company even though earnings came slightly lower than consensus. Elixir Securities’ analyst sees market to carry momentum and inch upwards with institutional flows helping however a sustained progression above 43,500 points level is imperative for Index to terminate recent bearish structure. Dost Steel Mills Limited (DSL) gaining 5 percent from the steel sector led the volumes with 27 million shares exchanging hands. Exploration & Production (E&P) sector closed in the green as crude oil prices rose back to its five-month high; Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) with 0.58 percent growth and Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDC) with 0.16 percent growth were the major gainers of the mentioned sector. Fertilizer sector stocks witnessed strong buying and gained to contribute 118 points to the KSE-100 index, where Fauji Fertiliser Company (FFC) increased by 5 percent, Fatima Fertiliser increased by 2.84 percent and Engro Fertiliser increased by 2.79 percent. Attock Refinery Limited (ATRL) gaining 3.65 percent from the refinery sector observed bullish sentiments during the last few minutes and closed near its upper circuit. “We recommend investors to do selective buying in fundamentally solid stocks”, said JS Research’s analyst. Published in Daily Times, September 20th 2017.