KARACHI: Pakistan’s equities remained under pressure on Monday amid lack luster volumes due to lack of triggers in broader market as benchmark KSE-100 Index losing 276 points, to finally settle at 38,309 levels, down 0.7 percent. The market started off on a weak note only to continue the downward trajectory amid low volumes and lack of participation. A total of just 46 million shares were traded today in KSE100 Index while only 67 million shares changed hands in KSE All shares market – the lowest trading activity since June 1, 2018. Bank of Punjab (BOP) gaining 1.65 percent topped the volume charts with 10.0 million shares while K-Electric Limited (KEL) gaining 2.65 percent traded 6.9 million shares. On economic front, Economic Co-ordination Committee (ECC) meeting is due to be held today to conclude on Urea prices and import quota ahead of the Kharif Season in the country. Murtaza Jafar, an analyst at Eiixir Securities expects investors to await for clarity on International Monetary Fund (IMF) front as Government of Pakistan is likely to submit Letter of Intent (LOI) before 19thDecember for possible Bailout Program from the Fund. Commercial Banks, Energy and Fertilizers stocks were the major laggards in Moday’s trading session as HBL (-3.3%), FFC (-2.0%), PPL (-1.4%), EFERT (-1.6%), ENGRO (-0.7%), UBL (-1.0%), OGDC (-0.5%) and HUBC (-0.6%) cumulatively contributed -188 points towards the close. The daily traded value stood at $20 million, (down 40 percent) while volumes clocked in at 67 million (down 32 percent). Furthermore, major contribution to total market volume came from BOP (+1.6%), KEL (+2.7%), FFL (+2.5%). An equity analyst Danish Ladhani expects market to remain volatile and choppy on the back of economic and political uncertainty due to absence of immediate triggers. Published in Daily Times, December 18th 2018.