KSE down 0.33 pct as investors exit ahead of long weekend

Pakistan's Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) bearishly trends on Thursday as investors resorted to book their profits ahead of a long weekend owing to Eid-ul-Adha celebrations in the country. Even a consistent supply of positive financial results failed to woo investors who were interested morein playing safe on the final trading session ahead of the holidays. The benchmark KSE 100-Index fell by 0.33 percent or 52.81 points to close at 15,812.72 levels on Thursday as against close of 15,865.53 levels recorded on Wednesday. During the week that ended on Oct. 25, the KSE 100-Index witnessed a meager increment of 19.97 points with three out of four trading sessions ending in green territory. The KSE 100-Index gained 55.88 points to close at 15,848.63 levels on Monday, edged up by 5.21 points to end at 15,853.84 levels on Tuesday, swelled by 11.69 points to conclude at 15,865. 53 levels on Wednesday, and declined by 52.81 points to finish the day and week at 15,812.72 levels on Thursday. The KSE All Share Index dropped 0.4 percent or 44.68 points to end at 11,125.33 levels, the KSE 30-Index declined by 0.49 percent or 63.69 points to conclude at 12,927.19 levels, whereas the KMI 30-Index shed 0.43 percent or 118.92 points to finish the day and week at 27,631.98 levels here. The Karachi Stock Exchange started the final trading session of the week on a bearish note which has not been a regular sight at the local bourse. The main index hit the intraday highest level of 15,869.82 levels right at the start and then nosedived into the red ink with investors taking keen interest in booking their profits at higher levels ahead of long holidays. It is important to mention here that the Karachi Stock Exchange and State Bank of Pakistan will remain closed from Oct. 26 to 29 on account of Eid-ul-Adha holidays announced by the federal government. After clocking the intraday high during initial minutes, the key index plunged to its lowest level of the day of 15,774.29 before the halfway mark where it found a renewed buying interest which helped it cut down on some of the losses and ended with a closing above the psychological levels of 15,800. Market volumes fell by 7.629 million shares to 136.018 million shares on Thursday as against trading of 143.647 million shares recorded on Wednesday as investors opted for taking an exit ahead of a long weekend. During the week under review, the Karachi bourse reported total volumes of 532.114 million shares at average daily turnovers of 133.0285 million shares. The KSE witnessed turnovers of 149.119 million shares on Monday, 103.33 million shares on Tuesday, 143. 647 million shares on Wednesday, and 136.018 million shares on Thursday. Market capitalization declined by 16.041 billion rupees (168. 862 million U.S. dollars) to 3.953 trillion rupees (41.614 billion U.S. dollars) on Thursday when compared with market capitalization worth 3.969 trillion rupees (41.783 billion U.S. dollars) recorded the other day. As per the figures released by the National Clearing Company of Pakistan Limited (NCCPL) for Wednesday, the foreign investors invested big at the Karachi bourse as they ended up with net buying worth 664.436 million rupees (6.994 million U.S. dollars). During the course of the week, the foreign investors did net buying worth 52.693 million rupees (0.554 million U.S. dollars) on Monday, net selling worth 922,547 rupees (9,711 U.S. dollars) on Tuesday, and net buying worth 664.436 million rupees (6.994 million U.S. dollars) on Wednesday. During the first three trading sessions at the top Pakistani bourse, the offshore investors did cumulative buying worth 716.207 million rupees (7.539 million U.S. dollars). During the last week, the foreign investors came up with net buying of 609.002 million rupees (6.41 million U.S. dollars). In broader market, a total of 341 companies changed hands during the course of trading on Thursday where prices of 162 issues ended in green zone, 161 landed in red terrain, whereas values of 18 other scrips stayed unchanged at previous day's levels. Dera Ghazi Khan Cement XD was the top traded company of the day with trading of 16.997 million shares in its scrip, followed by Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited, JS Growth Fund, Engro Corporation, Telecard Limited, Fatima Fertilizer Company, and Azgard Nine Limited with turnovers of 11.809 million shares, 5.302 million share, 5.180 million shares, 5.122 million shares, 4.938 million shares, and 4.782 million shares, respectively. Island Textile XD was the top price gainer of the day as its per share price swelled by 16.53 rupees (17.4 U.S. cents) to close at 347.28 rupees (3.65 U.S. dollars) while on the other hand Siemens Pakistan led the major price shedders with decrement of 37 rupees (38.94 U.S. cents) to finish the day and week at 713 rupees (7.505 U.S. dollars).