RECORDER REPORT: KSE close of day

KARACHI: Positive trend was witnessed at the Karachi stock exchange (KSE) market on Tuesday on the back of investors’ interest mainly in cement and banking sector stocks.

The benchmark KSE-100 index increased by 38.44 points and closed at the level of 13,903.12 points.

The market opened on a strong positive note and the index breached 14,000 psychological level to hit 14,002.08 points intra-day high, however could not sustain due to profit taking in fertilizer and E&P sector stocks.

Trading activities remained low as the volumes at ready counter declined to 290.421 million shares as compared to 348.244 million shares traded on Monday. Total market capitalization increased by Rs 10 billion to Rs 3.574 trillion. Of the total 378 active stocks, 157 closed in positive and 140 in negative while the value of 81 stocks remained unchanged.

NIB Bank was the volume leader with 32.258 million shares and gained Re 0.10 to close at Rs 2.95. NBP surged by Rs 2.09 to close at Rs 47.35 with 9.671 million shares.

The investors interest was also seen in cement sector, as Dewan Cement, DG Khan Cement and Fauji Cement increased by Re 0.99, Rs 1.88 and Re 0.13 to close at Rs 7.18, Rs 41.46 and Rs 6.20 with 26.392 million shares, 20.150 million shares and 11.931 million shares respectively while Lafarge Pakistan declined by Re 0.07 to close at Rs 5.09 with 10.224 million shares.

Byco Petroleum inched up by Re 0.52 to close at Rs 12.45 with 13.755 million shares. Jahangir Siddiqui Co lost Re 0.30 to close at Rs 21.35 with 13.328 million shares. WorldCall Telecom decreased by Re 0.19 to close at Rs 3.86 with 10.353 million shares. Azgard Nine closed at Rs 9.34, up Re 0.05 with 9.952 million shares.

Unilever Pak and Sanofi-Aventis were the highest gainers increasing by Rs 51.81 and Rs 8.79 to close at Rs 5896.30 and Rs 184.75 respectively while Siemens Pakistan and Nestle Pak were the worst losers declining by Rs 23.00 and Rs 22.33 to close at Rs 747.00 and Rs 4486.67 respectively.