Pakistan equities closed its week on Friday on a positive note, with benchmark KSE-100 Index gaining 481 points, closing at 37,292 levels, up 1.3 percent. The local bourse traded in the green zone throughout the trading session making a high of +917 points. Financial sector pulled the overall sentiment of the market upwards where Bank of Punjab (BOP) (+8.5%) closed limit up on the back of the news that the government of Pakistan has delayed the decision of setting up a Single Treasury Account with the State Bank of Pakistan, said Danish Ladhani, an equity analyst. According to IIS Securities’ analyst, the news that Pakistan got duty waiver on 313 products in second phase of Pakistan-China FTA drove the positive sentiment. MCB Bank (+4.0%), United Bank Limited (UBL) (+2.1%) and Habib Bank Limited (HBL) (+2.7%) were the major gainers of the aforementioned sector. Moreover, current account deficit (CAD) for March-2019 declined by 45 percent YoY to US$822 million (3.6% of GDP); however, it was higher by a massive 196 percent on MoM basis (i.e. almost thrice the CAD of February-2019). Engro Fertiliser (+0.3%) in Fertilizers announced its first quarter 2019 consolidated EPS of Rs3 vs. Rs2.91 (SPLY) with no cash payout. Mixed sentiment was seen in Cements where CHCC (-3.6%) closed in the red. LUCK (+0.2%), DGKC (+0.8%) and FCCL (+1.8) closed in the green zone. MARI (-1.2%) was the major laggard in Exploration and Production (E&Ps) where the company announced its nine months FY19 EPS of Rs4.71 vs. Rs4.35 SPLY with no payout. Furthermore, Mari Petroleum (MARI), along with its JV partner, Pakistan Petroleum (PPL) has made an oil discovery near Gujar Khan in Rawalpindi District. SEARL (+0.4%) in the pharmas announced its consolidated earnings of Rs2.2/share down 25 percent YoY in third quarter FY19. MCB (+4.0%), HBL (+2.7%), FFC (+2.5%), PPL (+1.7%), UBL (+2.1%), HUBC (+1.9%), OGDC (+0.9%) and POL (+1.2%) were top scrips to cumulatively contribute +281 points to the positive closing. Traded value stood at $47 million (+28%) and volume stood at 104 million shares (-18%). BOP, KEL, UNITY, PAEL and WTL were the volume leaders today. Ladhani expects market to remain choppy and volatile ahead. He recommends investors to stay cautious in the short run ahead of IMF meeting.