Commodities' prices remain mostly under pressure due to Muharram, holidays

Nearly holiday mood affected trading where except wheat and guwar, which depicted firm ground, softness was marked elsewhere during the week ended on December 3, 2012. The global trend was in match with local trend.
On the opening day barley Sindh and Mardan was quoted at Rs 3250 and Rs 3300, wheat old and new bardan rose slightly by Rs 5 to Rs 2650 and Rs 2700. Irri rice 6 Sindh rose by Rs 25 to Rs 3125, while the other type was put at Rs 3200, cottonseed oilcakes in Sindh with bag low type was unchanged at Rs 950, while the other type rose by Rs 110 to Rs 1100.
On Tuesday Irri-6 Sindh was unchanged at Rs 3125, while the other variety shed Rs 25 to Rs 3175, cottonseed oilcakes low type Sindh lost Rs 50 to Rs 900 and the other type shed Rs 100 to Rs 1000, Guwar Sindh and Punjab was quoted at Rs 6700 and Rs 6800, bajra low type shed Rs 50 to Rs 2350, while better type was unchanged at Rs 2800.
On Wednesday gram Australia No. 1 lost Rs 100 to Rs 5400 and Rs 5600, grams 50x50 lost Rs 100 to Rs 5100 and Rs 5300, yellow peas Canada conceded Rs 50 to Rs 3750 and Rs 3950, yellow peas dal Canada lost Rs 50 to Rs 4150 and Rs 4230, yellow peas Ukraine shed Rs 50 to Rs 3550 and Rs 3750, yellow peas Ukraine dal shed same amount to Rs 4050 and Rs 4250, wheat old and new bardan shed Rs 50 to Rs 2680 and Rs 2695, cottonseed oilcakes with bag Sindh low type shed Rs 50 to Rs 250 and better type was seen put at Rs 1000.
On Jodia Bazaar milk powder skimmed (25-kg per bag) Irish skimmed rose by Rs 50 to Rs 8550, Haleeb SMP rose by Rs 50 to Rs 6550 and Holland was quoted at Rs 9200, full cream instant: CDL quoted at Rs 4300 and Britain Star quoted at Rs 6000.
On Thursday makai lost Rs 50 to Rs 2200 and Rs 2250, gur low type shed Rs 200 to Rs 4800, while the better type was unchanged at Rs 5600, Irri white shed Rs 100 to Rs 2400 and Rs 2500, as demand from abroad is falling.
On Friday there was no change in the rates on wholesale grain and seed market, as almost all the participants were busy in preparations for Juma prayers.
On Jodia Bazaar Kenyan tea items ended. The changes were: KENYAN TEA ITEMS (Per kg): PF-1 A grade moved higher by Rs 10 to Rs 470, B grade moved upward by Rs 5 to Rs 440, plus C grade edged up by Rs 10 to Rs 420 and C grade finished higher by Rs 20 to Rs 365. BP-1: A-1 grade was quoted at Rs 400 and B grade was quoted at Rs 380.
On Saturday rice prices dropped sharply, guwar rates, however, went up ahead of long weekend due to Muharram holidays. Commodity experts attributed the decline in buying to falling demand by the general retailers as Muslims avoid holding functions, specially marriage and other big parties during the month in respect of Muharram. Basmati No.386 new inferior type did not show any change at Rs 4800, while the best type lost Rs 1000 to Rs 5000. Iirri-6 Sindh low type retained overnight level at Rs 3125, the best quality, however, gained Rs 25 to Rs 3200, the said.
On the cereal side guwar Sindh rose by Rs 500 to Rs 7200-7300 and guwar Punjab also followed suit, gaining Rs 200 to Rs 6900-7000. Prices remained unchanged on the grams and seeds sectors in process of trading.