RECORDER REPORT: KSE close of day

KARACHI: The investors opted for profit taking after mid session on Wednesday and the benchmark KSE-100 index declined by 86.16 points to close at the level of 13,816.96 points.

The market opened on a positive note and the index hit 13,971.06 points intra-day high on the back of fresh buying mainly in the cement sector stocks. However, the investors opted for profit taking on available margins after mid session and the index dropped into negative zone at 13,780.85 points intra-day low level.

Trading activities improved significantly as the volumes at ready counter surged to 511.291 million shares as compared to 290.421 million shares traded on Tuesday. Total market capitalization declined by Rs 24 billion to stand at Rs 3.550 trillion. Of the total 376 active stocks, 150 closed in negative and 148 in positive while the value of 78 stocks remained unchanged.

Fauji Cement was the volume leader with 74.362 million shares and gained Re 0.95 to close at Rs 7.15. In the other cement sector stocks, Lafarge Pakistan, Dewan Cement, DG Khan Cement, Maple Leaf Cement and Flying Cement increased by Re 0.49, Re 0.47, Re 0.51, Re 0.54 and Re 1.00 to close at Rs 5.58, Rs 7.65, Rs 41.97, Rs 6.63 and Rs 4.42 with 62.602 million shares, 29.947 million shares, 17.283 million shares, 13.280 million shares and 11.593 million shares respectively.