PSX Closing Bell: Bulls Keep a Slim Lead

Mettis Link News reported that the benchmark KSE-100 finished Tuesday at 177,370.70, a rise of 404.02 points or 0.23 per cent. Selective buying in banks, cement and fertilizer counters lifted the index back from earlier losses, even though oil exploration and technology names came under pressure. Intraday, the index moved across a 1,198.56 point band, peaking at 177,775.70 and bottoming at 176,577.14.

Breadth was mixed, with 45 index companies closing higher, 53 lower and 2 flat. UBL contributed the most index points at 374.88, followed by MEBL, FFC, HBL and LUCK, while OGDC and ENGROH were the heaviest drags. Among the day's top movers, ISL, POWER, GAL, KTML and UBL rose the most, whereas PGLC, TRG, SRVI, BNWM and PSEL slid furthest.

Sector figures showed commercial banks adding 514.07 points, cement 138.43 and fertilizer 57.78, while oil and gas exploration companies subtracted 150.62 points. The All-Share Index gained 0.11 per cent to 107,716.19, and volume on the KSE-100 reached 271.87 million shares. Oil prices held steady across Asian markets after a drop of over 2 per cent in the prior session, while traders weighed the impact of tougher US secondary sanctions on Iran. Over the fiscal year the index is down 2,931 points or 1.63 per cent, though it is up 3,316 points or 1.91 per cent in the calendar year so far.