KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a range-bound session on the last day of the week, with the benchmark index oscillating between an intraday high of 273 points and low of 265 points.

The KSE-100 index closed at 46,184.71 points, up 238.62 points or 0.52 per cent from a day ago.

On the corporate announcement front, Hub Power Company Ltd announced earnings per share (EPS) of Rs5.72 for the July-September quarter, down 9pc from a year ago, which were lower than industry expectations, according to Topline Securities. The EPS of Oil and Gas Development Company Ltd for the first quarter of 2021-22 clocked in at Rs7.82, up 44pc on an annual basis, which was higher than industry expectations.

Market participation increased 17.78pc to 270.41 million shares on a day-on-day basis.

Sectors contributing to the benchmark index included cement (209.39 points), commercial banking (73.36 points), fertiliser (34.86 points), auto (20.37 points) and investment banking (16.16 points).

Stocks that contributed significantly to the traded volume included Hum Network Ltd (27.91m shares), Merit Packaging Ltd (27.01m shares), Azgard Nine Ltd (17.19m shares), WorldCall Telecom Ltd (11.76m shares) and The Bank of Punjab (11.61m shares).

Stocks that contributed positively to the index included Lucky Cement Ltd (104.79 points), Habib Bank Ltd (30.37 points), Maple Leaf Cement Factory Ltd (23.56 points), Cherat Cement Company Ltd (21.72 points) and United Bank Ltd (20.16 points).

Shares that contributed negatively included TRG Pakistan Ltd (80.35 points), Hub Power Company Ltd (43.56 points), Meezan Bank Ltd (27.51 points), Colgate-Palmolive Pakistan Ltd (17.58 points) and Avanceon Ltd (11.83 points).

Stocks recording the highest gains in percentage terms included Fauji Fertiliser Bin Qasim Ltd and Pioneer Cement Ltd, which went up 7.5pc each, followed by Jahangir Siddiqui and Company Ltd (7.48pc), Mughal Iron and Steel Industries Ltd (6.3pc) and Nishat Mills Ltd (5.8pc).

Foreign investors were net sellers as they offloaded shares worth $0.49m.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2021