Index gains 10.11 points

After witnessing a mixed trend on Thursday the KSE-100 index finally managed to close in positive at 9,737.47 points level, with a net gain of 10.11 points. The market opened on a positive note on the fourth consecutive day and the index hit 9,812.97 points intra-day high level due to investors'' interest mainly in oil and gas sector stocks.
However profit taking after mid session dragged the index into negative territory to 9,712.16 points intra-day low level. Trading activity, however, further improved as the daily volumes at ready counter increased to 236.252 million shares as compared to 228.207 million shares traded on Wednesday.
The overall market capitalisation increased by Rs 4 billion to Rs 2.800 trillion. Out of total 389 active scrips, 188 closed in positive, 185 in negative while the value of 16 scrips remained unchanged. Lotte Pakistan was the volume leader with 25.701 million shares gaining Re. 0.30 to close at Rs 9.14. PTCL increased by Re. 0.55 to close at Rs 19.10 with 22.022 million shares. Arif Habib Sec declined by Rs 1.80 to close at Rs 50.47 with 15.212 million shares. Jahangir Siddiqui Co lost Re. 0.66 to close at Rs 30.51 with 13.299 million shares.
Nishat (Chunian) gained Rs 1.02 to close at Rs 22.55 with 12.568 million shares. Azgard Nine increased by Rs 1.06 to close at Rs 22.26 with 9.931 million shares. TRG Pakistan inched up by Re. 0.29 to close at Rs 2.43 with 9.392 million shares. DG Khan Cement lost Re. 0.18 to close at Rs 32.75 with 8.056 million shares. Pace (Pak) gained Re. 0.09 to close at Rs 5.95 with 7.953 million shares.
OGDC declined by Rs 1.53 to close at Rs 117.20 with 5.946 million shares. Unilever Pakistan and Unilever Food were the highest gainers with Rs 49.36 and Rs 49.00 to close at Rs 2401.67 and Rs 1349.00 respectively while Bata (Pak) and Pak Services were the worst losers with Rs 29.00 and Rs 8.49 to close at Rs 905.00 and Rs 161.51 respectively.
Ahsan Mehanti at Shehzad Chamdia Securities said that a mixed activity was witnessed on profit taking by retail and institutional investors on uncertainty over political impact on expected detailed SC judgement on the NRO due within days. The oil and gas sector remained positive on rising international oil prices near $83 and expectation on revision of wellhead gas prices this month. The fall in rupee value invited pressure on market sentiment, however foreign interest in telecom, oil sector supported the market for a positive close.