Index gains 67.18 points

The KSE-100 index on Friday increased by 67.18 points and closed at the level of 10,296.04 points on the back of fresh buying mainly by foreign investors. A healthy single day inflow of $8.395 million of foreign investors' portfolio investment mainly supported the index to register healthy gains, analysts said. The market opened on a positive note and the index breached 10,300 points psychological level to hit 10,329.31 points intra-day high, up 100.45 points.
Trading activities slightly improved, as the volumes at ready counter increased to 67.388 million shares, as compared to 60.222 million shares traded on Thursday. The overall market capitalisation increased by Rs 18 billion to stand at Rs 2.889 trillion. Out of the total 398 active scrips, 207 closed in positive and 168 in negative, while the value of 23 scrips remained unchanged.
The E&P giant, OGDC was the volume leader with 8.694 million shares and surged by Rs 2.70 to close at Rs 150.89. Jahangir Siddiqui Co lost Re 0.06 to close at Rs 15.07 with 6.090 million shares. Fauji Fertiliser Bin Qasim gained Re 0.92 to close at Rs 29.65 with 4.209 million shares.
PTCL lost Re 0.18 to close at Rs 18.64 with 4.010 million shares. Byco Petroleum increased by Re 0.24 to close at Rs 12.47 with 3.215 million shares. Azgard Nine inched up by Re 0.03 to close at Rs 12.93 with 2.949 million shares. Lotte Pakistan PTA gained Re 0.04 to close at Rs 8.39 with 2.403 million shares. Ravi Textile lost Re 0.18 to close at Rs 3.68 with 2.399 million shares. Nishat Mills declined by Re 0.31 to close at Rs 50.36 with 2.160 million shares. TRG Pakistan decreased by Re 0.12 to close at Rs 4.23 with 1.987 million shares.
Unilever Pakistan and Unilever Food were the highest gainers and increased by Rs 44.75 and Rs 38.93 to close at Rs 4008.00 and Rs 1045.60, respectively while Siemens Pak and Fazal Textile were the worst losers and declined by Rs 58.70 and Rs 13.45 to close at Rs 1115.35 and Rs 336.55, respectively.
Ahsan Mehanti at Arif Habib Investment said that the bullish activity was witnessed at the local bourse on strong foreign interest in Pakistan Oil and Gas, Fertiliser and Banking scrips ahead of earnings announcements. The rise in global capital markets and increasing oil prices in international crude oil prices near to $79 played a catalyst role in positive activity at the local share market, he added.