Cops guard Karachi SE as investors take to streets

HONG KONG: Pakistan stocks were little changed as the Karachi Stock Exchange kept trading restrictions in force and the police surrounded the bourse to thwart violence by investors demanding a halt in trade.

The benchmark KSE 100 index added 2.89 points, or less than 0.1%, to 9,184.24 at the close of trading, with 98 of its constituents unchanged.

Of the remaining two, Pakistan Services rose 5%, while Kot Addu Power lost 5.5%. Protesters are demanding a trading halt as price curbs preventing stocks from falling below their August 27 closing prices locked up their funds. The exchange first imposed the curbs August 28 to limit market declines.

Pakistan has twice imposed trading restrictions, bailed out individual investors, and earlier promised a fund to buy equities in failed measures to support stocks.

Authorities moved to safeguard the exchange in Pakistan���s largest city to avoid a repeat of violence on July 16, when hundreds of investors stoned the bourse and shouted anti-government slogans.

The Karachi exchange last closed for trading on April 10, 2006, after a bombing in the city.