Pakistan Stock ExchangePakistan Stock Exchange (PSX)resumed strong bullish trend on Wednesday, following a brief breatherin the previous session as benchmark Kse-100 index gained 502.99 points by the closing bell to breach 45,000 mark. During the session, the buying activity was witnessed across the board, as investors reacted to surge in International crude oil prices and geared up in anticipation of annual results. Oil prices recovered overnight and rallied by nearly 5% with U.S. prices tapping highs above $50 for the first time since February 2020. Oil bulls reacted to the agreement reached between Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, together known as OPEC+, on production curbs starting in February, with Saudi Arabia voluntarily taking on a larger reduction. During the session major moves were recorded in blue-chip stocks, especially in Exploration &Production, Oil & gas marketing sector and Banking scrips. Meanwhile, Cement, Steel and Fertilizer stocks continued with previous session’s momentum, primarily on the back of healthy growth in cement despatches, whereas chemical stocks also performed well ahead the closure of the quarter and in anticipation of posting better earnings.The cement sector posted growth of 11.18 percent in December 2020 as compared to December 2019 as total cement despatches during December 2020 were registered at 4.788 million tons against 4.306 million tons during the same month of last fiscal year. During the session the index registeredits intraday high 45,194.63 index level after it gained 544.20 points. According to the National Clearing Company of Pakistan Limited (NCCPL) foreign investors were net buyers of worth $1.37 million worth of equities. Among local investors, Companies led the buying chart with $1.615 million worth of equities. However, selling chart was led by Banks with $1.85 million worth of equities, followed by Mutual Funds with $1.06 million worth of equities. The volume chart was led by Byco Petroleum Pakistan Limited, Pakistan Refinery Limited and KotAddu Power Company Limited. The scrips exchanged 97.63 million, 87.25 million and 31.11 million shares, respectively. Sectors that lifted the index were Commercial Banks by 118 points, Oil & Gas Exploration Companies with 101 points, Cement by 62 points, InvestmentBanks by 59 points and Oil& Gas Marketing Companies by 30 points. Among the scrips, the most points added to the index was by MeezanBank Limited which contributed 63 points followed by Dawood Hercules Corporation Limited54 points, Pakistan Oilfields Limited 48 points, Lucky Cement Limited 37 points, and Pakistan Tobacco Limited 29 points. Sector’s that added pressure on the index were Power Generation & Distribution by 20 points, Insurance by 5 points, Close – End Mutual Fund by 4 points, Leather & Tanneries by 2 points, and Real Estate Investment Trust by 2 points. Among the scrips, the most points taken off the index was by Hub Power Company Limited which stripped the index of 23 points followed by HBL Growth Fund 4 points, Standard Chartered Bank (Pak) Limited 3 points, Adamjee Insurance Company Limited 3 points and Service Industries Limited with 2 points.