Stocks attempted to recover last week’s losses on the first trading day of the week as market sentiments were lifted at Kse-100, following favorable financial results of the companies. On Monday kse-100 edged higher by 181 points to clock at 39.802 points despite profit taking and concomitant selling pressure. Monday’s recovery came following a week of bearish trend on the index which was coupled with depleting volumes. However sentiments were strong on Monday on series of economic and financial news. Apart from some positive results in Pharma sector which led the early rally, investors’ confidence was further buoyed following the economic data released by State Bank of Pakistan which revealed that country’s current account swung into a surplus in July 2020, recorded at $424 million, after posting a deficit of $100 million in June 2020. Country’s central bank said this was the fourth monthly surplus since last October. However, profit taking was witnessed in Exploration and Production sector as investors reacted to the announcement of divestment of index heavy weights Oil &Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) and Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL). On Friday the Cabinet Committee on Privatisation (CCoP) approved the privatisation of eight public sector entities including divesting the shares of OGDCL. The CCOP approved the “Divestment of up to 7% Government owned shares in OGDCL” through public offerings and directed to initiate the process of appointment of Financial Adviser for the process. CCOP also gave approval for the privatisation of Guddu Power Plant (747 MW) and gave directions to all the divisions/entities for resolving issues of Guddu Power Plant to facilitate the privatisation Process. Divestment of up to 10% of GOP’s shares in PPL through Public offerings was also approved by CCoP. The benchmark KSE-100 remained volatile throughout the day and oscillated between negative and positive territory. The index registered its intraday high at 38,824.56 points, while it also touched its intra-day low at 39,473.11points. The index recorded a volume of 172.64 million shares, down from 207 million shares recorded in the previous session, while the overall market volumes also decreased from 400.48 million shares in the previous session to 371.72 million shares. The volume chart was led by TRG Pakistan Limited followed by Dewan Cement Limited and PACE Limited. The scrips exchanged 29.89 million, 23.46 million and 23.46 million shares, respectively. Sectors which lifted the index included Cement with 73 points, Technology & Communication with 47 points, Pharmaceuticals with 39 points, Oil & Gas Marketing Companies with 36 points and Investment Banks with 28 points. Among the scrips, the most points added to the index was by Lucky Cement Limited which contributed 39 points followed by TRG Pakistan Limited with 38 points, Dawood Hercules Corporation Limited with 27 points, The SEARL with 24 points and National Bank of Pakistan with 16 points. Sectors which weighed down the index were Oil & Gas Exploration Companies with 74 points, Fertilizer with 19 points, Automobile Assembler with 4 points, Miscellaneous with 2 points and Textile Spinning with 1 points. Among the scrips, the most points taken off the index was by Oil & Gas Development Company Limited which stripped the index of 27 points followed by Pakistan Petroleum limited with 21 points, Pakistan Oilfields Limited with 19 points, Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited with 15 points and Muslim Commercial Bank with 10 points.