RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) ended Friday’s trading on a cautious but steady note, as reduced investor participation and the absence of strong triggers kept gains in check.

The benchmark KSE-100 Index closed at 149,493.06 points, marking an increase of 257.80 points or 0.17 percent compared to the previous day’s close of 149,235.26 points. During intraday trading, the benchmark touched a high of 150,465.17 points, reflecting brief optimism, while slipping to a low of 149,448.93 points before settling with modest gains.

BRIndex100 closed at 15,105.56 points which was 18.4 points or 0.12 percent higher than previous close at the volume of 657.231 million shares. BRIndex30 raised to 43,044.36 points which was 171.62 points or 0.4 percent higher than its previous close with the total volume remained 333.186 million shares.

According to Topline Securities, the session remained range-bound as heavyweight stocks offset each other’s movement.

Positive contributions from Fauji Fertilizer Company (FFC), National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), Askari Bank (AKBL), Oil & Gas Development Company (OGDC), and Pakistan State Oil (PSO) added around 289 points to the index.

Conversely, pressure from The Searle Company, Meezan Bank (MEBL), Engro Holdings, Lucky Cement (LUCK), and Engro Fertilizers (EFERT) weighed down the index by 289 points, neutralizing overall momentum.

Turnover in the ready market stood at 802 million shares, significantly down from 1.06 billion shares in the previous session, while traded value slipped to Rs 40.45 billion from Rs 55.82 billion. Despite the drop in activity, market capitalization edged up to Rs 17.735 trillion from Rs 17.721 trillion earlier, aided by the modest index recovery.

Investor interest concentrated in small and mid-tier stocks, with Unity Foods Ltd leading the volumes at 64.07 million shares, closing at Rs 29.36. Pak International Bulk Terminal followed with 63.81 million shares, finishing at Rs 11.53, while Fauji Foods Ltd traded 53.98 million shares, ending at Rs 17.11.

Among individual performances, PIA Holdings stood out as a major gainer, climbing Rs 264.40 to close at Rs 27,765.40, while Hoechst Pakistan gained Rs 56.04 to settle at Rs 3,831.59. On the losing side, Unilever Foods fell sharply by Rs 229.86, closing at Rs 31,281.25, while Nestlé Pakistan lost Rs 124.71 to end at Rs 8,232.08.

Out of 479 companies traded, 251 closed higher, 199 ended lower, and 29 remained unchanged, reflecting a balanced yet cautious investor sentiment.

Sector-wise, Oil and Gas Exploration stocks provided support, led by OGDC, while the banking sector, including NBP and AKBL, contributed positively. In contrast, cement and fertilizer stocks such as LUCK, EFERT, and Engro Holdings faced profit-taking, limiting index gains. The pharmaceutical sector, dominated by Searle, also dragged lower, whereas food and allied shares like Unity Foods and Fauji Foods attracted steady retail buying.

The BR Automobile Assembler Index finished the session at 24,298.31 points, gaining 68.57 points or 0.28 percent, with a total turnover of 2.53 million shares.

The BR Cement Index settled at 12,313.03 points, recording an increase of 30.07 points or 0.24 percent, on a traded volume of 30.33 million shares.

The BR Commercial Banks Index closed at 45,224.93 points, up by 84.28 points or 0.19 percent, with 54.45 million shares changing hands.

The BR Power Generation and Distribution Index ended at 22,598.23 points, advancing 116.85 points or 0.52 percent, on a turnover of 28.99 million shares.

The BR Oil and Gas Index moved higher to 12,861.32 points, showing a gain of 56.61 points or 0.44 percent, with 34.47 million shares traded.

In contrast, the BR Technology & Communication Index slipped to 3,374.66 points, shedding 6.51 points or 0.19 percent, though it led activity with a turnover of 61.17 million shares.

According to Muhammad Hasan Athar of JS Global, the recovery was largely supported by renewed interest in blue-chip stocks, as investors capitalized on attractive valuations. Athar pointed out that while the day’s rally reflected improved sentiment, volatility was expected to persist in the near term with profit-taking likely to continue.

He further observed that, given the prevailing macroeconomic conditions, the market was likely to remain range-bound in the coming week, with selective buying concentrated in fundamentally strong sectors.