KARACHI: Fine lint remained in focus with a firm spot rate and strong physical price during trading at the cotton market, fibre traders reported. Traders said volumes stood thin as buyers were purchasing lint on an assortment basis with better stocks shrinkingto meet their domestic as well as international commitments of textile and cloth. A senior trader at KCA, Ghulam Rabbani, said the spot rate remained firm and settlement was declared at Rs 6,800 per maund with growing demand for better grades as US cotton prices were higher these days. Rabbani said export inquiries were pouring in once again in Pakistan because the country’s cotton was available at comparatively lower rates in the international market. “But we, at present, are not in a position to meet exports on thin domestic inventories. Viscose fiber prices are firm in Pakistan, in line with the current trend in VSF prices in China. Yarn prices are remaining relatively firm as a result. Rabbani said leading spinners and mills purchased better lint on slightly above the spot rate at around Rs 6,700 per maund while private sector commercial exporters also capitalised their long positions and bought all grades of lint in small volumes in the wake of a possible increase in the price in the next coming sessions. Intermediate and fiber prices remained firm in the Asian polyester chain and the lack of supply on the paraxylene market is pushing prices up to higher levels, he added. In the domestic market, around 300 bales of Rahimyar Khan changed hands at Rs 6,625 per maund, 200 bales of Nawabshah at Rs 6,550 per maund and 200 bales of Sanghar at Rs 6,575 per maund. In the international market, Future contracts for May 2017 at the New York Cotton Market were hovering between 76 cents per pound, July at 77 cents per pound while the Cotlook A Index remained intact above 85 cents per pound.