ISLAMABAD, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Bearish sentiments prevailed at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Monday as the country's central bank kept the benchmark interest rate unchanged at 7 percent for the next two months.
In addition to this, a recent spike in COVID-19 cases in the country also took a toll on investors' sentiment, who remained cautious to buy new positions, pulling the main index of PSX below the psychological barrier of 40,000 points.
The Pakistan Stock Exchange's benchmark KSE 100-Index declined by 1.38 percent or 554.66 points to close at 39,632.52 points on Monday when compared with 40,187.18 points reported on Friday.
The trading board presented a red look on Monday as the KSE All-Share Index fell by 1.21 percent or 341.81 points to end at 27,932.05 points, the KSE 30-Index contracted by 1.24 percent or 209.85 points to close at 16,693.45 points, the KMI 30-Index reduced by 1.50 percent or 960.27 points to conclude at 63,049.50 points, whereas the Islamic All-Share Index moved down by 1.32 percent or 260.44 points to finish the inaugural trading session of the week at 19,491.72 points.
The trading session on Monday witnessed selling activity which made the main index to travel in a range of 872.90 points. During the course of the trading session, the key index touched an intraday peak of 40,187.18 points as against an intraday low of 39,314.28 points.
Market volumes were recorded at 195.429 million shares on Monday. The turnover was 3.06 percent or 5.808 million shares higher as against trading of 189.621 million shares registered on Friday.
The market value decreased by 1.22 percent or 0.092 billion rupees to close at 7.476 billion rupees on Monday as against Friday's closing figure of 7.568 billion rupees.
Among 356 active scrips on Monday, the prices of 67 issues closed in the green range, 267 ended down into the bearish lap, whereas values of 22 other listed companies remained unchanged at the previous week's levels.
Unity Foods Limited, Hascol Petroleum Limited, and TRG Pakistan Limited were the top traded companies with turnovers of 15.418 million shares, 15.313 million shares, and 13.316 million shares, respectively.
Rafhan Maize Products Limited emerged as the top performer of the day with an increment of 150.00 rupees per share to close at 8,450.00 rupees while on the other hand, Bata Pakistan Limited led the worst performers with a decrement of 44.00 rupees per share to finish the trading session at 1,371.00 rupees. (1 U.S. dollar = 160.65 rupees) Enditem
