KARACHI: Buying in better grades of cotton kept market prices firm while leading buyers made forward deals for piling up better stocks on shrinking of quality. Trading remained firm during six past trading sessions at lint market. Spinners and mills replenished their stocks by making deals for better and second grade of lint at around Rs 6,350-Rs 6,475 per maund during trading sessions at Punjab and Sindh stations. Buyers and sellers remained busy negotiating terms on forward and daily basis; while sellers were unmoved for lesser prices. Buyers also made one month forward deals at around Rs 6,275-Rs 6,300 per maund. Paucity of better grades kept buyers on front foot while sellers kept maintaining their demand on scarcity of better grades at the ginneries. Leading buyers bought fine grades of lint at around Rs 6,450-Rs 6,475 per maund, in parts of Sindh and Punjab stations. Private sector commercial exporters made deals at Rs 6,025-Rs 6,250 per maund. Raw grades of lint changed hands at Rs 5,975 per maund, depending on trash level during trading session. Around 39,000 cotton bales changed hands in the range of Rs 6,000-Rs 6,575 per maund in past week while ex-gin price remained firm at Rs 6,400 per maund. In kerb market, trading took place in the range of Rs 6,000-Rs 6,350 per maund. New York Cotton December Futures 2017 contract closed at around 69 cents per pound, March Future 2018 contract at 69.18 cents per pound and Cotlook A Index was hovering at 81 cents per pound. Published in Daily Times, November 19th 2017.