Daily Times

Stocks regained the momentum on the last trading day of the week, contrary to the previous two sessions at Pakistan Stock Exchange, as investors were upbeat ahead of a budgetary announcement by the government.

The Index remained positive throughout the session touching an intraday high of 48,426.63 points.

On Friday, right after the opening bell the stocks climbed higher, as apart from budget optimism, market sentiments were also driven by rising international crude oil prices and a credit facility of $200 million proposed by the World Bank.

Oil prices surged to hit their highest in more than a year from a decision by OPEC and allies to stick to the plan to gradually restore supply, along with the slow pace of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States.

Brent rose $71.57 a barrel, its highest since January 2020 on Thursday, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude hit $69.28 during the session, its highest since October 2018.

Oil & Gas Marketing Companies and Oil & Gas Exploration Companies led the major gains over the hopes that the government may issue partial payments to Independent Power Producers (IPPs) as the first tranche amounting to Rs89.9 billion is set to expire on June 07, 2021 which was approved by ECC and Cabinet committee.

During the session Market Capital increased by Rs 26.2 Billion, while total value traded decreased by 5.08 Billion to Rs.26.58 Billion. The volume at kse-100 surged from 253.4 million shares recorded in the previous session to 317.4 million shares, while volume at all shares index remained fell from 889 million billion shares to 867.3 million shares.

At kse-100 the volume chart was led by World Call telecom limited followed by Hascol petroleum Limited and Byco petroleum limited. The scrips exchanged 89 million, 78.78 million and 54.69 million shares.

During the session, sectors which lifted the index were Automobile Assembler with 35 points, Oil & Gas Marketing Companies with 25 points, Oil & Gas Exploration Companies with 23 points, Pharmaceuticals with 23 points and Automobile Parts & Accessories with 14 points.

Among the scrips,the most points added to the index was by United Bank Limited which contributed 16 points followed by GLAXO with 14 points, Honda Atlas Cars (Pakistan) Limited with 13 points, Hascol petroleum Limited with 12 points and Pak Suzuki Motor Company Limited with 12 points.

However, sectors which dented the index were Commercial Banks with 15 points, Investment Banks. with 12 points, Chemical with 10 points, Synthetic & Rayon with 2 points and Cable & Electrical Goods with 2 points.

Among the scrips, the most points taken off the index was by Bank Al Habib Limited which stripped the index of 25 points followed by PSX with 11 points, Meezan Bank Limited with 9 points, KTML with 8 points and Colgate Pakistan Kohinoor Textiles Mills Limited with 7 points.