Equities move both ways on LSE

Equities on Friday moved both the ways on the Lahore Stock Exchange (LSE) and finally ended in negative zone amid improved trading turnover on account of selling pressure. The LSE-25 index marginally was declined by 2.72 points and ended at 3223.00 points against 3225.72 points of Thursday, while transaction volume was increased to 4.057 million shares, as compared to 3.696 million shares traded a day earlier.
The market opened on depressed note but vertically rose soon after the commencement of trading. The market stayed in green zone during first trading session but could not maintain rising trend in the second session, as investors preferred to get out of the market ahead of weekend to secure their positions.
The fertiliser sector's companies like Fauji Fertiliser, Fatima Fertiliser and Fauji Fertiliser Bin Qasim helped market avert more declines while Pakistan Oil Fields, PPL, Sui Northern, Sui Southern, Arif Habib Corporation, MCB Bank, Honda Atlas Cars also performed well.
However, most of the blue chips including Attock Refinery, PSO, OGDC, National Refinery, Nishat Mills, Nishat Chunian, D.G. Khan Cement, Adamjee Insurance, Pakistan Reinsurance and Lotte Pakistan PTA remained under selling pressure.
The losers were more than the gainers, as out of a total of 97 active issues, 25 companies posted gains, 29 went down, while 43 companies stayed glued to their previous levels.
Fauji Fertiliser gained Rs 2.62, Pakistan Oil Fields was improved by Rs 1.99, PPL was appreciated by Rs 1.91, while Sui Northern was up by Rs 1.04. In the minus column, National Refinery lost Rs 7.63, Attock Refinery was declined by Rs 4.96, PSO was depreciated by Rs 4.95, while Engro Corporation was down by Rs 1.45. Silk Bank with trading of 1.518 million shares topped the volume leaders followed by Bank of Punjab with 917,698 shares.