Index gains 149.84 points

The KSE-100 index on Friday rose by 149.84 points and closed at 11,957.30 points on the back of both local and foreign investors' interest on available attractive levels. The market opened on a positive note and the index hit 11,973.96 points intra-day high. The index remained in green zone throughout the trading session.
Trading remained low due to limited participation of investors ahead of Eid, and the volume at ready counter was restricted to 55.885 million shares as compared to 61.486 million shares traded on Thursday. Market capitalisation increased by Rs 36 billion to Rs 3.116 trillion.
Of 334 active scrips, 151 closed in positive and 82 in negative, while the values of 101 stocks remained unchanged. Engro Corp was the volume leader with 4.657 million shares and increased by Rs 5.66 to close at Rs 135.84. In the other fertiliser sector stocks, Fatima Fertiliser Co inched up by Rs 0.20 to close at Rs 24.17 with 4.166 million shares. Jahangir Siddiqui Co gained Re 0.25 to close at Rs 6.08 with 4.307 million shares.
In the banking sector, Bank Al Falah and NBP surged by Re 0.45 and Re 0.96 to close at Rs 11.47 and Rs 45.17 with 3.677 million shares and 2.577 million shares. DG Khan Cement gained Re 0.26 to close at Rs 21.81 with 3.028 million shares.
Attock Refinery surged by Rs 5.55 to close at Rs 130.88 with 2.565 million shares. Nishat Mills gained Rs 1.33 to close at Rs 46.54 with 2.401 million shares. PSO increased by Rs 11.78 to close at Rs 260.94 with 2.357 million shares. Lotte Pakistan PTA inched up by Re 0.03 to close at Rs 11.05 with 2.071 million shares.
Bata (Pak) and Siemens Pak were highest gainers by Rs 37.31 and Rs 24.75 to close at Rs 812.31 and Rs 924.75 respectively, while Nestle Pakistan and Attock Petroleum were worst losers by Rs 47.85 and Rs 8.82 to close at Rs 3152.15 and Rs 424.74 respectively.
Ahsan Mehanti at Arif Habib Investments said that bullish activity was witnessed at KSE as rumours dominated the market that the government had released funds to PSO to ease circular debt concerns in the energy sector. The investors remained bullish in fertiliser stocks on higher local urea prices and approval for release of gas to fertiliser producers despite concerns on approval of rise in gas prices in fertiliser sector.
Lower CPI Inflation at 10.96 percent on year-on-year basis for October, strong recovery in global capital markets and renewed foreign interest in blue chip stocks played a catalyst role in bullish trend at KSE, he added.