KARACHI, Oct 17: The Karachi Stock Exchange unveiled on Wednesday the list of top 25 companies for the year 2000, with nearly half of the corporates, managing to retain their place in both 1999 and 2000.

KSE had started rewarding the top 25 companies with recognition since 1978. The latest award is the 23nd in a row. Although the criteria for the choice of the best corporates has undergone considerable change since the inception of the award, the major parameters are the quantum of dividend payouts; the liquidity of the scrip and the market price of the shares.

The 25 top companies for 2000 include: Lever Brothers Pakistan; Grays of Cambridge (Pakistan); Pakistan State Oil; Al-Ghazi Tractors; Lakson Tobacco; Din Textile Mills; Shell Pakistan; Nishat (Chunian); Millat Tractors; Fauji Fertilizer Company; Rafhan Maize Products Company; Javed Omer Vohra & Company; Sapphire Fibres; Yusuf Textile Mills: Siemens Pakistan Engineering Company; Sitara Chemical Industries; Kohinoor Weaving Mills; Cherat Papersack; A.A. Textiles; Engro Chemical Pakistan; Indus Dyeing & Manufacturing Company; Security Papers; Blessed Textiles; Pakistan Oilfields and Nestle Milkpak.