KARACHI: Despite foreign selling, Pakistan Stock Exchange Tuesday closed on a positive note due to fresh buying by local investors.

BRIndex100 gained 1.03 points or 0.02 percent to close at 5,133.05 points. BRIndex100 hit intraday high of 5,160.51 points and intraday low of 5,126.58 points. Volumes stood at 327.280 million shares.

BRIndex30 increased by 111.91 points or 0.45 percent to close at 25,199.60 points with a turnover of 207.302 million shares.

The KSE-100 Index inched up by 54.04 points or 0.11 percent and closed 47,419.74 points. Trading activity however remained low as daily volumes on ready counter decreased to 378.832 million shares as compared to 382.645 million shares traded Monday. Foreign investors however remained net sellers of shares worth $864,064. Total market capitalization increased by Rs 19 billion to Rs 8.290 trillion. Out of total 524 active scrips, 248 closed in positive and 244 in negative while the value of 32 stocks remained unchanged.

Telecard Limited was the volume leader with 41.617 million shares and gained Rs 0.66 to close at Rs 19.46 followed by Ghani Glo Hol that increased by Rs 2.93 to close at Rs 42.98 with 32.742 million shares. Unilever Foods and Rafhan Maize were the top gainers increasing by Rs 849.00 and Rs 249.00 respectively to close at Rs 18,849.00 and Rs 10,499.00 while Philip Morris Pak and Blessed Textile were the top losers declining by Rs 72.39 and Rs 32.00 respectively to close at Rs 912.51 and Rs 418.00.

BR Automobile Assembler Index declined by 104.65 points or 1.06 percent to close at 9,781.11 points with total turnover of 3.936 million shares.

BR Cement Index gained 11.62 points or 0.17 percent to close at 7,025.27 points with 14.679 million shares.

BR Commercial Banks Index lost 12.76 points or 0.13 percent to close at 9,461.55 points with 19.451 million shares.

BR Power Generation and Distribution Index inched up by 2.17 points or 0.04 percent to close at 5,614.50 points with 8.378 million shares.

BR Oil and Gas Index closed at 3,943.56 points, up 9.08 points or 0.23 percent with 10.072 million shares.

BR Tech. & Comm. Index increased by 72.33 points or 1.52 percent to close at 4,819.88 points with 87.345 million shares.

Ahsan Mehanti at Arif Habib Corporation said that stocks closed higher amid affirmation of S&P ratings of B- Long-term and B Short-term with stable outlook.

Mid-session pressure remained on concerns for public debt surging to Rs 39.9 for FY21 and external debt to $122.1 billion for FY21.

He said speculations on likely EU approval over GSP Plus exports status and surging global crude oil prices played a catalyst role in positive close.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021