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PSX rings in budget week on positive note

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  • Traders believe market is expected to remain range-bound till budget announcement.
  • At close, it records an increase of 0.63% to settle at 41,577.21 points.
  • Shares of 342 companies were traded during the session.

KARACHI: The bulls staged a comeback at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Monday following a bloodbath last week as the benchmark KSE-100 began the week with a gain of over 250 points.

Initially, the positivity came from the cement sector as prices in the south region have increased by Rs25 per bag (effective from June 6, 2022) where Lucky Cement, Maple Leaf Cement Factory, DG Khan Cement, and Kohat Cement closed higher.

Furthermore, investors’ interest also witnessed exploration and production where Pakistan Petroleum Limited, Oil and Gas Development Company, and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL) closed higher as Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) raised gas prices for SNGPL and Sui Southern Gas Company by 45% and 44%.

Traders believe the market is expected to remain range-bound until the announcement of the federal budget 2022-23, scheduled for June 10. The outcome of the budget presented will determine the market direction in the future.

The benchmark KSE-100 index opened at 41,577.21 points and at close, it recorded an increase of 262.33 points, or 0.635, to settle at 41,577.21 points.

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

Shares of 342 companies were traded during the session. At the close of trading, 193 scrips closed in the green, 126 in the red, and 23 remained unchanged.

Overall trading volumes dropped to 189.24 million shares compared with Friday’s tally of 225.39 million. The value of shares traded during the day was Rs4.9 billion.

Unity Foods was the volume leader with 33.13 million shares traded, losing Rs0.21 to close at Rs21.07. It was followed by Pakistan Refinery with 16.29 million shares traded, gaining Rs0.09 to close at Rs17.46 and TPL Properties with 11.66 million shares traded, gaining Rs1.29 to close at Rs18.55.

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Irfan Siddiqui meets with the PM and informs him about the Senate performance of the parliamentary party.

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The head of the Senate’s Foreign Affairs Standing Committee and the PML-N’s parliamentary leader paid Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif a visit in Islamabad.

Senator Irfan Siddiqui gave the Prime Minister an update on the Parliamentary Party’s Senate performance.

Additionally, Senator Irfan Siddiqui gave the Prime Minister an update on the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs’ performance.

He complimented the Prime Minister on his outstanding efforts to bring Pakistan’s economy back on track and meet its economic objectives.

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SIFC Increases Direct Foreign Investment: Investment in the Energy Sector Rises by 120%

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The Special Investment Facilitation Council is intended to help Pakistan’s energy sector attract $585.6 million in direct foreign investment in 2024–2025. The amount invested at the same time previous year was $266.3 million.

This is a notable 120% rise, mostly due to investments in gas exploration, oil, and power. Such expansion indicates heightened investor confidence and emphasizes the development potential in important areas.

The State Bank reports that foreign investment in other vital industries has increased by 48% to $771 million.

This advancement is a blatant testament to SIFC’s efficient investment procedure and quick project execution.

The purpose of the Special Investment Facilitation Council is to establish Pakistan as an investment hub by aggressively promoting regional trade and investment in the energy sector and other critical industries.

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Discos report losses of Rs239 billion.

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When compared to the same period last year, the data indicates that discos have decreased their losses in the first quarter of the current fiscal year.

The distribution businesses recorded losses of Rs239 billion in the first three months of the current fiscal year, a substantial decrease from the Rs308 billion losses sustained during the same period the previous year.

Additionally, the distribution businesses’ rate of recovery has improved. It has increased to 91% in the first quarter of this year from 84% in the same period last year, indicating success in revenue collection.

Regarding circular debt, the Power division observed a notable change. Last year, between July and October, the circular debt grew by Rs301 billion. Nonetheless, this year’s first four months saw a relatively modest increase in circular debt, totaling about Rs11 billion.

These enhancements show promising developments in the electricity sector’s financial health in Pakistan, where initiatives are being made to accelerate recovery rates and slow the expansion of circular debt.

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