Daily Times

Market participation by retail investors ended their dry spell on Thursday which lifted benchmark kse-100 index to climb past 47,600 level after posting about 136 points gain by the closing bell.

On Thursday, the trading kicked off on an optimistic note right after the opening bell as the index climbed steadily for most part of the day and touched intraday high of 47,736.13. However, the market came under selling pressure in final hours, which pared some of the gains.

Market sentiments were primarily driven by the rumors of Oil discovery in Waziristan, which directed major capital to index heavyweight Oil & Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), said Irfan Saeed, Senior Vice President BMA Capital Management Limited.

Separately, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority’s recommendation to jack up petrol price by Rs11.5 per litre for the next fortnight also fuelled buying in oil sector stocks.

Although, later the government decided to increase the prices by only Rs5.40 litre.

Moreover, the Eurobond proceeds of $1 billion also propped up the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) foreign currency reserves to four-and-a-half-year high, which was also a major positive macroeconomic indicator, driving up the market sentiments.

However, resurgence of Covid-19,which took 24-hours positivity ratio above 4% mark and the political uncertainty in Afghan region kept the index in check.

The volume at kse-100 improved from 162.99 million shares recorded in the previous session to 191.69 million shares, while the all-share index recorded a volume of 506.29 million shares, slightly up from 508.28 million shares from the previous session.

At kse-100 the volume chart was led by Worldcall Telecom Limited followed by Karachi ELectric Limited and TPL corp Limited followed. The scrips exchanged 50.28 million, 38.93 million and 36.35 million shares.

As per the National Clearing Company of Pakistan limited (NCCPL) foreign investors were net sellers of worth $1.257 million worth of shares.

Among local investors Individuals and Brokers led the selling chart, which offloaded $3.01 million and $0.37 million worth of equities.

Whereas, Insurance Companies and Mutual Funds led the buying chart, and mopped up $2.64 million, $0.759 million worth of equities.

During the session, sectors which lifted the index were Oil & Gas Exploration Companies with 41 points, Technology & Communication with 37 points, Commercial Banks with 26 points, Food & Personal Care Products with 22 points and Oil & Gas Marketing Companies with 19 points.

Among the scrips, the most points added to the index was by OGDC which contributed 28 points followed by TRG Pakistan with 26 points, Bank Al Falah Limited with 16 points, Unity Foods with 15 points and Pakistan State Oil with 13 points.

However, sectors which dented the index were Tobacco with 21 points, Investment Banks with 19 points, Fertilizer with 13 points, Leather & Tanneries with 4 points and Textile Composite with 4 points.

AMong the scrips, the most points taken off the index was by Pak Tobacco Limited which stripped the index of 21 points followed by PSX with 15 points, Habib Bank Limited with 9 points, Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited with 8 points and Nishat Mills Limited with 6 points.