KARACHI: Negativity prevailed at Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Friday around the clock as the index lost 462 points to close at 43,136 levels, owing to jitters from the political backdrop and last day of futures rollover. Volumes remained lacklustre as 110 million shares changed hands. Pak Elektron Limited (PAEL) losing 4.69 percent from the Cable & Electrical Goods sector led the market volumes with 11.5 million shares traded in the scrip. On the economic front, the currency swap arrangement between the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and People’s Bank of China (PBOC) has been extended for 3 years. In the extended agreement, both the central banks have agreed to increase the CSA amount from CNY 10 billion to CNY 20 billion and from PKR 165 billion to PKR 351 billion. Friday’s major laggards were Habib Bank Limited (HBL), Pakistan State Oil (PSO), Lucky Cement, Hubco and Nishat Mills Limited (NML) as they cumulatively wiped away -134 points from the index. On a sector wise level, commercial banks showed mixed sentiment, where MCB Bank gaining 0.28 percent closed positive and on the flipside HBL losing 2.32 percent and Faysal Bank Limited (FABL) losing 2.31 percent closed in the red zone. Cement sector remained under the hammer for third consecutive day where Chitral Cement losing 2.94 percent, Fauji Cement losing 2.04 percent, Maple Leaf Cement losing 1.03 percent, Lucky Cement losing 1.40 percent and DG Khan Cement losing 1.41 percent lost value to close in the red zone. Pakistan Oil Fields (POL) losing 0.95 percent, Pakistan Petroleum Limited losing 0.24 percent and Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDC) losing 0.52 percent from the Exploration and Production (E&P) sector shed points as crude oil prices edged lower in the international market. An equity analyst Maaz Mulla expects market to remain volatile with flows from local institutions and foreigners directing the market. Total volume traded was approximately 110 million in KSE-All-Share Index, 63 million in KSE-100 Index, 39 million in KSE-30 Index, 50 million in KMI-All-Share Index and 35 million in KMI-30 Index. A total of 81 scrips gained whereas 202 scrips lost during the trading hours. A total of 20 scrips remained unchanged. Published in Daily Times, May 26th 2018.