Monday 31 December 2012

STOCK MARKET UPDATE: 01.01.2013



STOCKS
Karachi Stocks Down 37.86 Points:
KARACHI, Dec 31: At the close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 16905.33, down 37.86 points.
 (Today Market is down 20.006 @ 11.04 am)
December 31, 2012
 5 TOP GAINERS  &  LOOSERS:

Unilever Food
Rs 100.00
Uni Lever Pak
Rs (400.00)
Colgate Palmoliy
Rs 30.55
Nestle Pakistan
Rs (166.67)
Indus Dyeing
Rs 27.45
Bhanero Tex
Rs (12.99)
Siemens Pakistan
Rs 17.44
Pak Int. Con
Rs (11.00)
Mithchells Fruit
Rs 10.12
Indus Motor Co
Rs (7.00)
KSE welcomes 2013 with new peak
KARACHI: At the last trading session of the year 2012 on Monday, the Karachi Stock Exchange Index of 100 shares crossed the incredible 17,000-point barrier for a brief moment, raising a chorus of cheers from brokers, traders and investors.
The stock index galloped by an incredible 5,558 points during the year, from 11,447 points at the start of 2012 to close at 16,905 points on Monday, providing investors stellar return of 49 per cent for the year, one of the highest among equity markets in the region. Most stock brokers contend that the double digit dividend growth and low valuations of Pakistani equities is the fuel that has fired the stock boom.
Mohammad Sohail, CEO of Topline Securities, says the major boost to Pakistani equities was provided by declining interest rates, resolution of capital gains tax related issues, improved foreign portfolio inflows, rising consumerism and healthy corporate earnings.
An analyst pointed out that the stock market saw foreign portfolio inflow of $125 million in 2012 recovering almost all the outflow of $127 million the previous year.
The year also saw return of happy times for the textile sector after countless gloomy years. Analysts said growth in foreign demand and weakening rupee triggered small investors’ interest in ‘low-priced’ textile shares.
Arif Habib, a former chairman of KSE, is of the opinion that in low interest rate scenario there is ease of valuation which, in turn, raises equity values. The demand for risk-free return investment avenues decreases and investors turn to stock exchange in search of higher returns. For corporates, the borrowing appetite increases with lower interest rates.
Mr Habib believes that the market still has a lot of upside potential given the growth of profits envisaged at 30 per cent in the year ahead in heavy-weight oil and gas and oil-marketing companies sectors.
Sayem Ali, economist at Standard Chartered Bank, said improved flow of funds might have fuelled stock boom. The liquidity has improved with an inflow of $1.8 billion from the US in 2012, the ease in monetary policy by the State Bank which lowered policy rates by 2.50 per cent and record government spending that has led to increased demand for goods and services.
Sayem pointed out that the blanket amnesty of ‘no questions to be asked about the source of funds invested in stocks till June 2014’ provided in the budget 2012-13 could have attracted a lot of undocumented wealth into the market.
However, Arif Habib argues that the amnesty did provide a psychological boost to investor sentiment. “However, we have not seen a large scale inflow of undocumented money into the stock market,” he says.
Although equities have multiplied wealth of high-net-worth individuals turning many into billionaires, most people rightly complain that that fruits of stock boom are not widely shared. “There is the need to bring bigger companies and bigger floats into the market and to expand the investor base,” said one market participant.
The KSE-100 index having crossed its all-time high since long continues to climb the steep slope. And in spite of the brokers’ optimism, there always is a concern of a possible pull back. An analyst, however, said on Monday: “Most investors are unwilling to give a thought to that, for all they want is to let good times roll into 2013.” 

MOHAMMED SALEEM MANSOORI

Tuesday 25 December 2012

STOCK MARKET UPDATE: 26.12.2012



STOCKS
Karachi Stocks Up 27.86 Points:
KARACHI, Dec 24: At the close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 16893.20, up 27.86 points.

(Today Market is 24.38 UP@ 12.18 pm)


December 24, 2012
 5 TOP GAINERS  &  LOOSERS:

UniLever Pak
Rs 50.00
Unilever Food
Rs (100.00)
Sanofi-Aventis
Rs 15.00
Bata (Pak)
Rs (39.00)
Atlas Battery
Rs 5.80
PICT
Rs (12.76)
Pak Oilfields
Rs 4.42
Service Industries
Rs (6.14)
Engro Foods Ltd
Rs 4.32
Linde Pak
Rs (3.40)
KSE 100-share index gains 26 points
KARACHI: The Karachi Stock Exchange's (KSE) benchmark100-share index ended 0.16 percent, or 26.60 points, higher at16,891.94.
Stocks closed higher on Monday as there was higher institutional support in index heavyweight stocks.
"TRG remained the volume leader. Interestingly Engro Foods due to some institutional support closed 5% up," said dealer at Topline Securities.
Stocks that ended positively included TRG Pakistan, which rose 4.16 percent, or 0.24 rupees, to 6.01 per share and Engro Foods, which was up 5 percent, or 4.59 rupees, to 96.48 per share.
Stocks that fell included Dewan Cement, down 3.27percent to 5.03 per share, and D.G.Khan Cement, which fell 0.39 percent to 54.25 per share.
In the currency market, the rupee ended at 97.48/97.55 against the dollar, compared to Friday's close of97.49/97.54.
Overnight rates in the money market remained flat at 9.40percent. (REUTERS)



MOHAMMED SALEEM MANSOORI

Sunday 23 December 2012

STOCK MARKET UPDATE: 24.12.2012



STOCKS
Karachi Stocks Down 42.68 Points:
KARACHI, Dec 21: At the close of trading, the KSE-100 index was at 16865.34, down 42.68 points.
 (Today Market is 11.30 Down@ 10.52am)

December 21, 2012
 5 TOP GAINERS  &  LOOSERS:

Rafhan Mize
Rs 150.00
PICT
Rs (12.24)
Colgate Palmolive
Rs 69.47
Exide Pak
Rs (9.99)
Unilever Food
Rs 50.00
Attock Petroleum
Rs (5.23)
Bata Pak
Rs 34.00
MCB Bank
Rs (4.73)
Mithchells Fruit
Rs 12.19
IGI Insurance
Rs (2.96)
KSE 100-share index ends lower
KARACHI: The Karachi Stock Exchange's (KSE) benchmark100-share index ended 0.25 percent, or 42.68 points, lower at 16,865.34.
Stocks closed lower on Friday amid concern over the falling rupee.
Recent cuts in policy rate were in line with market expectations but failed to overcome investors' concerns over the falling rupee.
Stocks that ended positively included TRG Pakistan, which rose 12.33 percent, or 0.62 rupees, to 5.65 per share and Dewan Cement, which was up 5.89 percent, or 0.29 rupees, to 5.21 per share.
Stocks that fell included Byco Petroleum, down 2.19 percent to 12.07 per share, and Fauji Cement, which fell 0.62 percent to 6.40 per share.
In the currency market, the rupee weakened, closing at 97.49/97.54 against the dollar, compared to Thursday's close of 97.36/97.39.
Overnight rates in the money market remained flat at 9.40percent. (REUTERS)

MOHAMMED SALEEM MANSOORI