Business

KSE-100 index gains over 250 points on positive cues

Published

3 years ago

Farwa

Massive recovery of rupee against US dollar triggered bullish sentiment among market players.
Trading session kicked off in green and until midday, KSE-100 continued to fluctuate in a narrow range.
At close, KSE-100 index closed at 42,716.97 points after gaining 0.61%.

KARACHI: The bears took a break from the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Thursday as it surged into the green territory, with investors taking cues from the agreement between Pakistan and Chinese banks for inflows worth $2.3 billion.

Massive recovery of the rupee against the US dollar by 2.7% day-on-day in the interbank market triggered bullish sentiment among market players.

Moreover, constant assurance from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Finance Minister Miftah Ismail regarding the revival of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan programme sparked optimism among market participants, who resorted to making fresh purchases.

Earlier, the trading session kicked off in the green and until midday, the benchmark KSE-100 index continued to fluctuate in a narrow range.

At close, the benchmark KSE-100 index closed at 42,716.97 points after gaining 258.83 points or 0.61%.

Benchmark KSE-100 indec intra-day trading curve. — PSX data portal

Arif Habib Limited in its post-market commentary noted that the benchmark KSE-100 index was dominated by the bulls today.

“Across the board rally was witnessed as Chinese consortium of banks signed an RMB 15 billion ($2.3 billion) loan facility agreement which resulted in the recovery of Pakistani rupee against the US dollar,” it stated.

Meanwhile, volumes also remained healthy across the board. The independent power producers (IPP) sector remained in limelight as the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet approved Rs149 billion for the power sector to be paid to the IPPs and K-Electric in the current fiscal year.

Sectors contributing to the performance included power (+74.8 points), banks (+52.2 points), technology (+26.4 points), oil marketing companies (+25.9 points) and cement (+15 points).

Shares of 347 companies were traded during the session. At the close of trading, 235 scrips closed in the green, 87 in the red, and 25 remained unchanged.

Overall trading volumes rose to 349.48 million shares compared with Wednesday’s tally of 266.09 million. The value of shares traded during the day was Rs10.13 billion.

Cnergyico PK Limited was the volume leader with 37.4 million shares traded, gaining Rs0.22 to close at Rs5.78. It was followed by Pakistan Refinery with 29.34 million shares traded, gaining Rs0.56 to close at Rs19.54 and K-Electric with 27.96 million shares traded, gaining Rs0.19 to close at Rs2.85.

Business

In FY 2024, the federal government gives institutions Rs 437 billion.

Published

10 hours ago

Farwa

The Ministry of Finance revealed that a total of Rs 437 billion was given as support to different government agencies in Pakistan during the first half of fiscal year 2024.

Of this, Rs232 billion was set aside for subsidies to Pakistani public sector organizations. Furthermore, subsidies totaling Rs 120 billion were given to Pakistani government organizations between July and December 2023.

During the first half of the previous fiscal year, Pakistani government institutions received loans totaling Rs 85 billion. Sui Southern Gas Company in Pakistan was one of the main beneficiaries of the subsidies.

Other well-known Pakistani organizations that benefited from subsidies are Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO), which received Rs 18.34 billion, and Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO), which received Rs 26.24 billion. Subsidies totaling Rs11.63 billion went to the Utility Stores Corporation of Pakistan.

In addition, Power Holding received a grant of Rs88.52 billion in the first half of fiscal year 2024, followed by Pakistan Railways with Rs27.5 billion and the National Highway Authority (NHA) with Rs4 billion.

Apart from subsidies, the Pakistani federal government also gave loans, giving NHA approximately Rs 25 billion and Pakistan Steel Mills Rs 35.54 billion.

The National Transmission & Despatch Company (NTDC) received Rs6.1 billion, Printing Corporation received Rs1.2 billion, JENCO-II received Rs16.53 billion, and Radio Pakistan received Rs210 million. MEPCO, PESCO, and LESCO also received loans during this period. receiving Rs47 billion, while MEPCO (Multan Electric Power Company) received Rs42.56 billion.

A report released on December 27 by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics states that over the past year, the cost of some goods in Pakistan has significantly increased while the cost of others has decreased.

The research claims that the price of tomatoes has increased significantly, rising by 138.53 percent (pc). Women’s sandal prices increased by 75.09 percent, while the cost of potatoes increased by 61.17 percent. Lentils, too, experienced a price surge, with chana dal increasing by 51.17 pc and mung dal by 31.51 pc.

Prices for beef increased by 24.28 percent, while those for powdered milk increased by 25.62 percent. Garlic became 17.27 pc more expensive, and cooked lentils went up by 15.10 pc. Gas charges in Pakistan have also risen by 15.52 pc, and firewood prices climbed by 13.14 pc.

Business

With its second-largest surge ever, PSX approaches 114,000 points.

Published

6 days ago

Farwa

Driven by renewed activity from both private and government financial institutions, the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) saw its second-largest rally in history on Monday.

The market regained many important levels in a single trading session as it rose with previously unheard-of momentum.

Intraday trading saw a top increase of 4,676 points, and the PSX’s benchmark KSE-100 Index gained 4,411 points to settle at 113,924 points. This impressive rebound demonstrated significant investor confidence by reestablishing the 100,000, 111,000, 112,000, and 113,000-point levels.

The market also saw the 114,000-point limit reestablished during the trading session.

The positive tendency was reflected when the market’s heavyweight shares touched its upper circuits. Among the most busiest trading sessions in recent memory, an astounding 85.78 billion shares worth a total of Rs55 billion were exchanged.

Experts credited the spike to heightened institutional investor activity and hope for macroeconomic recovery. Considered a major market recovery, the rally demonstrated the market’s tenacity and development potential.

Business

In interbank trade, the Pakistani rupee beats the US dollar.

Published

2 weeks ago

Farwa

In the international exchange market, the US dollar has continued to weaken in relation to the Pakistani rupee.

The dollar fell to Rs278.10 from Rs278.17 at the beginning of interbank trading, according to currency dealers, a seven paisa loss.

In the meantime, there was a lot of turbulence in the stock market, but it recovered and moved into the positive zone. The KSE-100 index recovered momentum and reached 116,000 points after soaring 1,300 points.

Both currency and stock market swings, according to analysts, are a reflection of ongoing market adjustments and economic uncertainty.