Pakistan: Rice, pulses fuel market prices

A fresh price flare-up on some of the essential counters highlighted the previous week's trading on the Karachi wholesale market on active buying made by upcountry dealers. Pulses and rice sectors led the market advance followed by reports of pressure on ready stocks and holding back of stocks by leading commercial houses after mid-week, Pakistan daily Dawn reported.

Earlier, a relative calm was witnessed as commercial houses took stocks of their inventories before making fresh buying. Price changes were mainly confined to some of the essential counters but most of them were fractional and reflected that supply position has considerably improved during the week partly owing to steady arrivals from upcountry markets and partly to selling by local stockists, dealers said.