Equities moved both ways on the Lahore Stock Exchange on Thursday and finally ended in negative zone amid decreased trading turnover on account of lacking investors' interest on the part of investors who remained on the sideline. The LSE-25 index lost 9.50 points and was declined to 3,299.71 against 3,309.21 of Wednesday while transaction volume was restricted to 3.059 million shares as compared to day earlier volume of 7.950 million shares.
The market was opened on a depressed note and kept on moving up and down throughout the day. The volatile situation restricted the investors from the buying course that resulted in low trading volume. Attock Refinery, Habib Bank, Lucky Cement, Engro Corporation, Nishat Mills, Pakistan Reinsurance, Arif Habib Corporation, Southern Electric Power, Byco Petroleum resisted selling pressure while profit taking was seen in MCB Bank, National Bank, Bank of Punjab, Bank Alfalah, OGDC, PPL, Nishat Power, Nimir Industrial Chemical, Fauji Fertiliser, Fatima Fertiliser, Dawood Hercules Corporation and Engro Polymer and Chemical.
The losers were more than the gainers. Of 99 active issues, 16 companies posted gains, 25 registered declines while 58 companies stayed glued to their previous levels. First Capital Equities gained Rs 4.13, Attock Refinery was improved by Rs 1.90, Habib Bank was appreciated by Rs 1.00 while Lucky Cement and Engro Corporation were up by 95-paisa and 70-paisa, respectively. MCB lost Rs 4.93, OGDC was declined by Rs 3.54, and Pakistan Oil Fields shed Rs 1.46 while PPL was down by Rs 1.33. Bank of Punjab with trading of 985,430 shares topped the volume leaders while NIB Bank stayed as runner up with 293,300 shares.