The KSE-100 index on Friday lost 7.80 points and closed at 12,361.32 points due to profit taking in some stocks in the second session. The market opened on a positive note and the index hit 12,410.15 points intra-day high level. However, the momentum could not continue as investors opted for selling in second session and the index dropped into negative and 12,305.78 points intra-day low level.
Trading volume stood at 47.679 million shares as compared to 45.979 million shares traded on Thursday. Market capitalisation declined by Rs 3 billion to Rs 3.265 trillion. Of 333 active scrips, 149 closed in negative and 78 in positive, while the values of 106 stocks remained unchanged.
Soneri Bank (R) was the volume leader with 6.017 million shares. However, it lost Re 0.01 to close at Re 0.12. Lotte Pakistan PTA closed at Rs 14.61 without any change with 3.373 million shares. Fauji Cement (R) inched up by Re 0.01 to close at Re 0.02 with 3.203 million shares. SilkBank gained Re 0.11 to close at Rs 2.90 to close at Rs 2.529 million shares. BoP lost Re 0.13 to close at Rs 6.93 with 2.402 million shares.
Azgard Nine decreased by Re 0.31 to close at Rs 6.15 with 1.616 million shares. Bank Al Falah gained Re 0.20 to close at Rs 29.00 with 1.579 million shares. Engro Corp declined by Re 2.27 to close at Rs 177.78 with 1.390 million shares. Jahangir Siddiqui Co lost Re 0.20 to close at Rs 7.33 with 1.352 million shares. PPL closed at Rs 216.13, down Rs 1.54 with 1.228 million shares.
Nestle Pakistan and Unilever Pak were the highest gainers, increasing by Rs 182.83 and Rs 66.79 to close at Rs 3862.12 and Rs 5322.62 respectively, while Philip Morris Pak and Siemens Pak were the worst losers, declining by Rs 7.80 and Rs 5.76 to close at Rs 187.04 and Rs 975.32 respectively.
Ahsan Mehanti at Arif Habib Investments said that negative close was witnessed amid thin volumes at KSE. He said that limited local and foreign interest, fall in global commodities and Asian capital markets on Greece debt default affected the investor sentiment at KSE. He said that record foreign exchange reserves at $17.5 billion, probable dividend announcement state-owned Pakistan Petroleum, and expected improvement in OMCs margins invited institutional support throughout the trading session.