Weekly review: Index gains 1% week-on-week as earnings announcements pick up pace

Foreigners remain net buyers, KSE-100 closes at all-time high

Foreigners remain net buyers, KSE-100 closes at all-time high

KARACHI:
The benchmark-100 index posted a 1% gain week-on-week to end July on a positive note with investor interest getting a boost amid the start of earnings announcement and strong institutional buying.

Strong resistance was observed near 40,000 point level ahead of the monetary policy announcement, with major tilt of trading activity towards low or mid-cap stocks.

However, despite range-bound activity during the week, interest in index heavy stocks, mainly in banking sector, led the index to close at its all-time high of 39,528. Exploration and production stocks pulled index down as international oil prices decreased $3/bbl week-on-week, with Oil and Gas Corporation Limited, Pakistan Oilfield Limited & Pakistan Petroleum Limited cumulatively contributing a 209-point fall to the index. By mid-week, the index was in corrective mode but still managed to inch higher to its all-time high.

Gains in the index were primarily led by United Bank Limited, Habib Bank Limited and Lucky Cement which cumulatively contributed 259 points. Fauji Meat Limited added 141 points to the index.

News of drug price increase in line with the formula approved by Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), which allows the increase in prices to be linked with certain percentage of inflation, led the rally in the pharmaceutical sector. Yen appreciation and below-expected result in autos led to profit taking in the sector.

Amongst major sectors, tobacco, cement and oil & gas marketing companies were up 6.3%, 3.2% and 2.6%, respectively.

Foreign institutional portfolio investment (FIPI) witnessed an inflow of $10.94 million during the week vs $11.49 million outflow last week, whereas the average volume traded decreased by 11.7% week-on-week and the value of shares traded decreased 20.6% week-on-week.

Foreigners remained net buyers, contributing an inflow of $11 million during the week.

Winners of the week

Feroze1888



Feroze 1888 Mills Limited manufactures and sells a wide range of cotton towels and fabrics.

Shell Pakistan



Shell Pakistan Limited stores and markets petroleum products gas

in Pakistan.

Nishat (Chunian) Limited



Nishat Chunian Limited manufactures and sells yarn and fabric. The company operates spinning, weaving, dyeing and finishing units.

Losers of the week

Associated Services Limited



Earlier called Latif Jute Mills Limited, the company is one of the industrial machinery and services firms in Karachi.

Pakistan Oilfields



Pakistan Oilfields Limited specialises in the exploration, drilling, production and transmission of petroleum. The company also markets Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).

Pak Suzuki Motors



Pak Suzuki Motor Company Limited manufactures, assembles and markets Suzuki cars, pickups, vans and 4 X 4 vehicles.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 31st, 2016.

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