The Pakistan Stock Exchange ended Thursday’s session on a slightly negative note, with the benchmark KSE-100 index losing 7.45 points, or 0.01 per cent, by the close of the trading session to reach 52,869.01.

Volumes surged led by cement company stocks as the market remained almost flat ahead of the federal budget due tomorrow.

142 million shares changed hands by the end of the session, with a total worth of nearly Rs19 billion.

Stocks of 394 companies were traded, of which 152 gained in value, 231 declined and 11 remained unchanged.

Volumes were led by:

1. Power Cement(R): 46.74m shares traded [+6.09pc];

2. Bank of Punjab: 25.5m shares traded [-4.81pc];

3. Engro Polymer: 22.96m shares traded [+4.98pc];

4. Aisha Steel Mill: 19.65m shares traded [+4.81pc]; and,

5. Azgard Nine: 15.59m shares traded [+4.43pc].