The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) closed slightly higher on Friday with the benchmark KSE-100 Index gaining 104 points, or 0.24 per cent, to close at 42,787.

The index touched a day's high of 43,014 during the first half and a low of 42,538 in the second half of trading as volumes surged to 97.95 million.

Stocks closed higher "amid speculation on renewed foreign inflows after FTSE Global Equity Index Series Asia Pacific announcement on inclusion of PSX stocks in semi annual review," Ahsan Mehanti of Arif Habib Corporation said.

However, he said "uncertainty remained over concerns for record trade deficit and global equity volatility amid North Korea missile fire over Japan and London Terror attacks."

Exchange volumes remained slightly lower than Thursday as 200m shares worth Rs13.13 billion were traded in the day. Of the 354 symbols traded in the day, 126 grew in value, 209 declined 19 remained unchanged.

Commercial banks dominated the day's trading with 28.7m shares traded, with engineering and technology sectors following with 27.4m and 23.8m shares traded respectively.

Volumes were led by:

Dost Steels Ltd: 16.3m shares traded [+9.00pc]

TRG Pak Ltd: 10.3m shares traded [+1.05pc]

Bank Al-Falah: 9.7m shares traded [-1.66pc]

Aisha Steel Mill: 9.3m shares traded [0.00pc]

WorldCall Telecom: 8.4m shares traded [-5.17pc]