A kind of firmness prevailed on the cotton market on Friday as the prices almost maintained overnight levels in the process of subdued business activity, dealers said. The official spot rate was unmoved Rs 7,600, they added. Prices of seed cotton in Sindh were unchanged at Rs 3800-3900, they said. In the Punjab, rates of phutti were at Rs 3500-4000, they added. Binola rates in Sindh and Punjab were almost stable, they said.
In ready session, around 1500 bales of cotton finalised between Rs 6850 Rs 7200, they said. In Sindh, rates of 600 bales of cotton were at Rs 8100-8150 and in Punjab, 400 bales from various stations, prices finalised at 8250-8300, they said.
Market sources said that many leading buyers kept on the sidelines due to less supply of best quality of cotton. Other marketmen, however, said that delay in seed cotton arrivals is causing slow business. In the meantime, sowing in many areas of Sindh started before time but crop could not harvest owing to heat wave, they added.
Cotton analyst Naseem Usman said that reports of rains in Sindh and Punjab likely to have a positive impact on the standing crop. So, we can see size of arrivals of cotton would also improve in the coming days, he added.
In India, cotton prices gained modestly in the process of trading, he added. Adds Reuters: ICE cotton futures hit its lowest in more than a week on Thursday, falling about 1.5 percent ahead of a federal crop acreage report amid concerns surrounding an ongoing feud between the United States and China.
The most active cotton contract on ICE Futures US, the third-month December contract, settled down 1.32 cent, or 1.56 percent, at 83.55 cents per lb. It traded within a range of 83.48, a low since June 20, and 84.96 cents a lb.
Following deals reported: approximately 1000 bales of cotton from Shahdadpur done at Rs 7200 and 500 bales of cotton from Ahmedpur East finalised at Rs 6850, they added.
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The KCA Official Spot Rate for Local Dealings in Pakistan Rupees
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FOR BASE GRADE 3 STAPLE LENGTH 1-1/16"
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MICRONAIRE VALUE BETWEEN 3.8 TO 4.9 NCL
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Rate Ex-Gin Upcountry Spot Rate Spot Rate Difference
For Price Ex-Karachi Ex. KHI. As Ex-Karachi
on 28-06-2018
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37.324 kg 7,600 145 7,745 7,745 NIL
Equivalent
40 kgs 8,145 155 8,300 8,300 NIL
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