After witnessing a mixed trend on Monday the KSE-100 index finally closed at 13,286.73 points, up 13.44 points on the back of late buying in some selective stocks.

During the session, the index moved both sides between 13,306.03 points intra-day high and 13,234.54 points intra-day low levels.

Trading activities however improved as the volumes at ready counter increased to 278.010 million shares as compared to 225.976 million shares traded on last trading session. Total market capitalization increased by Rs 8 billion to Rs 3.410 trillion. Of the total 364 active stocks, 190 closed in positive and 119 in negative while the value of 55 scrips remained unchanged.

Azgard Nine was the volume leader with 30.895 million shares and gained Re 1.00 to close at Rs 8.87 followed by TRG Pakistan that inched up by Re 0.42 to close at Rs 4.41 with 24.506 million shares.

Engro Polymer lost Re 0.68 to close at Rs 11.30 with 18.840 million shares. WorldCall Telecom gained Re 0.45 to close at Rs 3.08 with 17.754 million shares. KESC increased by Re 0.69 to close at Rs 4.18 with 14.727 million shares.

Arif Habib Co surged by Rs 1.47 to close at Rs 31.29 with 10.563 million shares. Jahangir Siddiqui Co increased by Re 1.00 to close at Rs 20.58 with 10.127 million shares. Lotte Pakistan inched up by Re 0.50 to close at Rs 8.50 with 9.813 million shares.

In the banking sector, JS Bank and Soneri Bank gained Re 0.01 and Re 0.52 to close at Rs 6.82 and Rs 7.57 with 8.653 million shares and 8.445 million shares respectively.

Unilever Food and Attock Petroleum were the highest gainers increasing by Rs 15.00 and Rs 8.26 to close at Rs 1816.00 and Rs 440.26 respectively while Nestle Pak and Colgate Palmolive were the worst losers declining by Rs 41.26 and Rs 13.92 to close at Rs 4361.83 and Rs 902.61 respectively.

Ahsan Mehanti at Arif Habib Corporation said that the Pakistan stocks closed higher amid investors’ interest in second and third tier stocks. The institutional interest in blue-chip oil, cements and banking stocks on strong valuations played a catalyst role in positive close at KSE.

He said that the index remained in narrow range amid high volatility on rising political noise in the country.

The investors awaited outcome of discussions on foreign policy, NATO supplies resumption and Pak-US relations ahead of reformed CGT regime implementation from April 01, he added.