KARACHI: Pakistan's main stock exchange closed higher on Wednesday, with the benchmark 100-share index of the Karachi Stock Exchange rising 1.33 per cent, or 366.52 points to 27,932.02.

Continued institutional support in Oil stocks and banking sector kept market in bullish trend with index touching almost 28,000 historical level, dealer said.

Oil and Gas Development Co Ltd rose 3.0 per cent to 254 rupees while Nishat Mills Ltd was up 3.22 per cent to 122.25 rupees.

The rupee ended at 98.10/98.15 against the dollar compared to Tuesday's close of 98.20/98.28.

Overnight rates in the money market remained flat at 10.00 per cent.

The country’s plans to issue $500m Euro bonds also boosted sentiments. Senior analyst Samar Iqbal commented that Engro Foods, Engro Fertiliser, OGDC, MCB Bank, Lucky and PSO together added more than 200 points to index gains.

Lower than expected CPI of 8.53pc and Moody’s provisional rating of ‘Caa1’ to the government announced bond offering, helped index to close at yet new high.

Mid cap stocks remained in limelight where LOTCHEM led volume chart with 24m shares.

Analyst Ahsan Mehanti agreed that stocks closed at an all time high on renewed foreign interest in blue chip oil and banking stocks ahead of government conducted road shows for $500m foreign inflows via Eurobond and MSCI Frontier Index recomposition.

Editorial

Under siege
03 May, 2024

Under siege

JOURNALISTS across the world are facing unprecedented threats — from legal and economic pressure to outright...
Meddlesome ways
03 May, 2024

Meddlesome ways

AFTER this week’s proceedings in the so-called ‘meddling case’, it appears that the majority of judges...
Mass transit mess
03 May, 2024

Mass transit mess

THAT Karachi — one of the world’s largest megacities — does not have a mass transit system worth the name is ...
Punishing evaders
02 May, 2024

Punishing evaders

THE FBR’s decision to block mobile phone connections of more than half a million individuals who did not file...
Engaging Riyadh
Updated 02 May, 2024

Engaging Riyadh

It must be stressed that to pull in maximum foreign investment, a climate of domestic political stability is crucial.
Freedom to question
02 May, 2024

Freedom to question

WITH frequently suspended freedoms, increasing violence and few to speak out for the oppressed, it is unlikely that...