Mixed sentiments prevailed on the Lahore Stock Exchange (LSE) on Friday where equities moved both ways and finally ended amid descending transaction volume on account of lacking investors' interest who remained on the sideline. The LSE -25 index was fractionally declined by 0.91 points and was ended at 3050.21 points against 3051.12 points of Thursday, while trading turnover was restricted to 0.970 million shares against the day earlier volume of 2.600 million shares.
The market opened on a depressed note and sharply declined just in few minutes. Later the market remained range-bound within a limit of 5 points during the first trading session. However, as soon as market resumed trading in second session, it witnessed vertical rise but could not sustain due to last hour selling.
Buying in National Refinery, OGDC, Attock Refinery, Fauji Fertilizer, Fauji Fertilizer Bin Qasim, Habib Bank, National Bank, Allied Bank, Bank of Punjab, NetSol Technologies helped market resist more declines. However, Engro Corporation, Fatima Fertilizer, MCB Bank, United Bank, Bank Al-Habib, Maple Leaf Cement, Arif Habib Corporation, Lotte Pakistan: PTA were succumbed of profit taking.
The gainers were marginally more than the losers. Of 106 active issues, 20 companies registered gains, 19 went down, while values of 67 companies remained unchanged at their previous levels. National Refinery gained Rs 3.54, Fauji Fertilizer was appreciated by Rs 1.85, while Habib Bank and NetSol Technologies were up by Rs 1.52 and Rs 0.89, respectively. In the minus column, Millat Tractors lost Rs 3.61, Pak Suzuki was decline by Rs 2.25, wile Engro Corporation and PPL were down by Rs 1.73 and Rs 1.65, respectively. Lotte Pakistan was the market leader whose 399,485 shares changed hands followed by Bank of Punjab with 159,181 shares.