The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) opened the week in the positive zone with the benchmark KSE-100 index gaining 64 points to close at 42,139.

The index traded sideways before rallying strongly after news of consensus over the caretaker prime minister broke. It subsequently touched a day's high of 42,453 points.

"Market rallied around 469 points in the intra-day session but later closed with a marginal gain of 64 points to close at 42,139 index level due to profit taking later in the day," Topline Research noted.

Over 139 million shares worth Rs6.35 billion were traded at the exchange. Of the 331 scrips traded, 179 advanced, 129 declined and 23 remained unchanged.

The cable and electrical goods sector dominated trading with 16.9m shares traded while commercial banks and cement followed with 14.0m and 13.6m shares traded respectively.

Volumes were led by:

1. Pakistan Elektron Ltd: 16.1m shares traded [+4.52pc];

2. TRG Pakistan Ltd: 9.4m shares traded [+2.68pc];

3. Unity Foods Limited: 8.4m shares traded [-2.10pc];

4. Fauji Foods Limited: 6.8m shares traded [+2.40pc];

5. First Dawood Investment Bank Ltd: 6.6m shares traded [-10.87pc].