The KSE-100 index gained 5.48 points to close at 37,547.49 points. Trading activity remained low as daily volumes on the ready counter decreased to 64.429 million shares as compared to 67.958 million shares traded Thursday. The market capitalization declined by Rs 3 billion to Rs 7.678 trillion. Out of total 320 active scrips, 153 closed in positive, 140 in negative while the value of 27 stocks remained unchanged.
TRG Pak was the volume leader with 5.190 million shares. However, it lost Re 0.26 to close at Rs 22.08 followed by Pak Elektron that decreased by Re 0.39 to close at Rs 24.41 with 3.289 million shares. Sapphire Textile and Sanofi-Aventis were the top gainers with Rs 60.00 and Rs 36.40, respectively to close at Rs 1,300.00 and Rs 764.40. Nestle Pakistan and Siemens Pak were the top losers with Rs 301.00 and Rs 27.85, respectively to close at Rs 8,200.00 and Rs 802.20.
BR Commercial Banks Index increased by 44.48 points or 0.55 percent to close at 8,120.62 points with a turnover of 6.852 million shares. BR Cement Index gained 5.18 points or 0.13 percent to close at 4,044.99 points with 7.751 million shares.
BR Oil and Gas Index lost 7.05 points or 0.16 percent to close at 4,475.10 points with 4.315 million shares. BR Tech. & Comm. Index inched up by 11.2 points or 1.19 percent to close at 953.33 points with 12.627 million shares. BR Power Generation and Distribution Index closed at 5,892.92 points, down 5.39 points or 0.09 percent with 2.271 million shares.
Ahsan Mehanti at Arif Habib Corporation said that the stocks closed flat amid institutional support in oversold oil, banking and cement scrips. Investors weigh likely receipt of $1.0 billion Saudi deposit, China financial commitment to lend $2.0 billion and UAE announcement to deposit $3.0 billion in SBP to support external account imbalances. He said reduction in local POL prices and surge in global crude prices played a catalyst role in positive close at PSX.