KSE-100 index rises 979 points as investors welcome Senate election clarity

Published March 15, 2021
The benchmark KSE-100 index opened higher on Monday following an upsurge in world markets on increasing bets on faster economic recovery. — AFP/File
The benchmark KSE-100 index opened higher on Monday following an upsurge in world markets on increasing bets on faster economic recovery. — AFP/File

Stocks continued their recovery on Monday with the KSE-100 index recouping another 978.51 points (2.23 per cent) on the first trading day of the week as the political certainty of Senate chairman election helped improve investor sentiment.

At the close of the day, the index settled in the green at 44,766.59.

The benchmark index opened at 43,788.08 points, which was also the lowest level seen by the market during intra-day trading. As the bulls took charge, it reached an apex of 44,839.19 points.

In a market review, Topline Securities said the clarity over Senate chairmanship buoyed investor sentiment, while investors "shrugged off concerns of higher inflation and political noise" owing to the opposition's planned long march and filing of a petition in high court by the PPP to challenge the Senate chairman election.

The major positive contributors today were TRG, PSO, LUCK, SYS and HUBC, which cumulatively added ~327 points to the benchmark index.

Total traded volume and value clocked in at 455.35 million shares (up 2.9pc DoD) and Rs21.95 billion (up 1.6pc DoD), respectively. The volume leader for Monday was TRG with 24.9m shares traded followed by UNITY with 23.63m shares exchanging hands, according to Topline.

The rollout of Covid-19 vaccinations in the United States and some other countries stoked a bullish mood on risk assets in global markets even as investors become wary of key central bank policy meetings later in the week, including the US Federal Reserve's.

Last week, the KSE-100 index plunged 2,049 points, or 4.5 per cent, to settle at 43,788 points. A relief rally on Friday recovered 1,008 points, though it could not wipe off the blemish of the worst weekly performance in the year both in terms of a slump in points as well as percentage over one year.

The market had last seen such dismal performance in the week ended Mar 27, 2020, with a drop in index by 2,558 points, or 8.3pc, week-on-week.

Follow Dawn Business on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for insights on business, finance and tech from Pakistan and across the world.

Opinion

Enter the deputy PM

Enter the deputy PM

Clearly, something has changed since for this step to have been taken and there are shifts in the balance of power within.

Editorial

All this talk
Updated 30 Apr, 2024

All this talk

The other parties are equally legitimate stakeholders in the country’s political future, and it must give them due consideration.
Monetary policy
30 Apr, 2024

Monetary policy

ALIGNING its decision with the trend in developed economies, the State Bank has acted wisely by holding its key...
Meaningless appointment
30 Apr, 2024

Meaningless appointment

THE PML-N’s policy of ‘family first’ has once again triggered criticism. The party’s latest move in this...
Weathering the storm
Updated 29 Apr, 2024

Weathering the storm

Let 2024 be the year when we all proactively ensure that our communities are safeguarded and that the future is secure against the inevitable next storm.
Afghan repatriation
29 Apr, 2024

Afghan repatriation

COMPARED to the roughshod manner in which the caretaker set-up dealt with the issue, the elected government seems a...
Trying harder
29 Apr, 2024

Trying harder

IT is a relief that Pakistan managed to salvage some pride. Pakistan had taken the lead, then fell behind before...