The Pakistan Stock Exchange's benchmark KSE-100 Index gained 389 points, or 0.85 per cent, to close at 45,918 on Tuesday as investors built positions, albeit with marked restraint.

While only 79 million shares changed hands in the session, with a total worth of over Rs7.1 billion, it was nonetheless an improvement over the previous day, when 53m shares were traded.

Overall volumes also improved to 224m shares compared to the previous day's 106m. According to an analyst note from Topline Securities, 30pc of the volumes were dominated by activity in second tier scrips, which boosted the overall market.

The index recorded a day's low of 45,499 early in the day and continued on an upward trajectory throughout the session to hit 45,940 towards close.

Trading was led by the engineering sector with 34.7m shares traded, while chemical and telecommunication sectors followed with 29.8m and 20.8m shares traded respectively.

Stocks of 372 companies were traded over the day, of which 259 gained value, 101 declined and 12 remained unchanged.

Volumes were led by:

TRG Pak Ltd: 16.5m shares traded [+1.35.pc];

Azgard Nine: 13.9m shares traded [+4.47pc];

Engro Polymer: 13.9m shares traded [+3.68pc];

Aisha Steel Mill: 13.5m shares traded [+4.77pc];

Dost Steels Ltd: 11.8m shares traded [+4.07pc].