KARACHI: Buyers bought better and second grade of lint on premium price while buying in second grade of lint remained on higher side with firm physical prices during past week, traders at Karachi Cotton Association (KCA) said Saturday. They said buyers purchased all qualities on slightly higher price above spot rate during six trading sessions and market volumes also showed 10 percent increase comparing to previous past week to 27,000 bales of cotton. A senior trader of KCA said spot rate at KCA stood firm and the majority of settlements declared at Rs 6,975 per maund to Rs 7,625 per maund while better grade of lint fetched over Rs 7,750 per maund. He said the lint market sentiments remained on firmer side due to compact trend in New York Cotton Market besides in anticipating improved better influx of cottonseed of dying crop season in ginneries. He said private sector commercial exporters consolidated their long positions and bought lint of mid-standard level during the trading sessions at around Rs 7,000 per maund. He said stocks of better grades of lint were on shrinking and physical prices would likely go further higher of all grades despite the fact that import orders were in pipeline for around 18,000 bales. In the domestic market around 200 bales of Mirpurkhas changed hands at Rs 6,975 per maund, 200 bales of Nawabshah at Rs 6,975 per maund, 200 bales of Hyderabad at Rs 7,025 per maund, 200 bales of southern Punjab at Rs 7,575 per maund and 200 bales of Yazman were sold at Rs 7,000 per maund. New York May Futures contract 2018 closed at 84.18 cents per pound, July Futures contract 2018 closed at 84.36 cents per pound and Cotlook A Index closed at 91 cents per pound. Published in Daily Times, April 22nd 2018.