The stock market registered an increase for the fourth consecutive week as expectations of a discount rate cut and return of foreign buying resulted in the benchmark KSE-100 index gaining another 461 points (1.4%) to close at a new all-time high of 33,786.
The KSE-100 index closed positive in four of the five trading days with trading volumes picking up considerably towards the latter half of the week. It seemed poised to shatter the 34,000-point barrier on Friday before profit-taking kicked in and restricted it to 33,786 points at the end of trading.
The latest gains meant that the index has climbed 2,774 points (8.9%) in the last 30 days in an impressive rally which has pushed the index to new highs. Investors are optimistic that the State Bank will reduce the discount rate by 100 basis points in its monetary policy announcement on January 24, which will fuel the next round of the market’s growth.
With inflation numbers for the previous months clocking in well below 5%, it is inevitable that the central bank will slash the discount rate. The question now remains if it will be a 50 basis point cut or a 100 basis point cut. Investors feel confident that it will be the latter and, as a result, have invested heavily in the market.
With the discount rate expected to come down, yield plays took the spotlight at the bourse with the Hub Power Company leading the way with a 4.6% gain during the week. Similarly, Fauji Fertilizer Company, another popular yield play, also rose 2.2% during the week.
Investors also breathed a sigh of relief as foreigners returned to the bourse with a bang and were net buyers of $17.6 million worth of equity during the week.
Foreigners had turned into net sellers for the past several weeks and the return to buying ways was a welcome change for local participants.
In sector specific news, the banking sector took the limelight as investors anticipate good payouts when banks announce their earnings for 2014. The sector contributed 210 points to the index, with MCB leading the way with a gain of 4.8%, while UBL also rose 3.5% during the week.
On the other hand, the oil sector went though another bad week with global crude oil prices hitting new lows and dropping below $50 per barrel. The sector’s losses resulted in the KSE-100 index falling 228 points with the OGDC, PPL and POL all witnessing sharp drops.
Average trading volumes rose 12.2% and stood at 331.5 million shares traded per day.
