RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: Equities on Tuesday moved both ways on the Lahore Stock Exchange and finally settled in negative zone amid decreased trading turnover.

The LSE-25 index lost 15.58 points to close at 4293.79 against 4309.37 of Monday, while transaction volume was squeezed to 1.444 million shares compared with day earlier volume of 3.069 million shares.

The market was opened on a mixed note and remained range bound most of the trading time. However, ahead of close of trading, the investors preferred selling that dragged the market into negative zone. Fauji Fertilizer, Maple Leaf Cement, KASB Bank, Askari Bank, Faysal Bank, Dewan Cement, Bank of Punjab, Lotte Chemical, Mari Petroleum and WroldCall Telecom registered marginal gains, while MCB Bank, Bank Alfalah, PSO, Engro Corporation Engro Foods, Nishat Chunian, PTCL, D G Khan Cement, Kot Addu Power and PIA remained under profit taking.

The declining stocks were ahead of the advancing ones. Of 87 active companies, 16 posted gains, 21 registered losses while 50 companies stayed glued to their overnight closing.

Fauji Fertilizer gained 80-paisa, Maple Leaf Cement was improved by 49-paisa while KASB Bank and Dewan Cement were up by 38-paisa and 24-paisa, respectively.

MCB Bank lost Rs 6.75, PSO was declined by Rs 3.35, while Engro Corporation and Engro Foods were down by Rs 1.70 and Rs 1.45, respectively.

Bank of Punjab with trading of 480,000 shares topped the volume leaders followed by KASB Bank with 283,000 shares.