A stock broker reacts while monitoring the market on the electronic board displaying share prices during trading session at the Pakistan Stock Exchange, in Karachi on July 3, 2023. Photo: Reuters/ File
KARACHI:
A volatile session was observed at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Monday, where the benchmark KSE-100 index lost a modest 248 points, as late-session selling pressure erased early gains.
The market opened positively and climbed to the intra-day high of 163,602 well before midday. However, the momentum lost steam through the afternoon and stock offloading dragged the index down to the intra-day low at 161,482 before the close of trading.
In major economic news, Pakistan’s current account recorded a deficit of $112 million in October 2025 compared to a surplus of $83 million in September. Investor sentiment was largely impacted by law and order concerns and political noise. The KSE-100 index ended in the red at 161,687 points. KTrade Securities wrote in its market wrap that PSX saw a mixed performance on Monday, when the benchmark index fell 248 points (-0.15%) to close at 161,687, despite touching the intra-day high of 163,602. The session was largely characterised by profit-taking, which capped early gains.
Fauji Fertiliser, Pioneer Cement, K-Electric, Kohinoor Textile, Pakistan Petroleum and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines provided support to the index, while Lucky Cement, United Bank, Mari Energies, Hub Power and Maple Leaf Cement were the major laggards, it said.
With healthy participation, the sentiment was expected to remain closely tied to developments on the law and order front, the political environment and key economic indicators. Investors would also be focused on progress on the IMF loan tranche, KTrade predicted.
JS Global analyst Muhammad Hasan Ather commented that KSE-100 closed down by 248 points at 161,687 in a volatile session after touching the high of 163,602. The decline primarily stemmed from profit-taking following recent strong gains, combined with investor caution about macro risks and policy headwinds. Ather anticipated that the market would remain choppy, while liquidity and reforms may support further gains.
Topline Securities highlighted that the KSE-100 index ended the trading session on a subdued note, reflecting a decline of 248 points. Throughout the day, the index displayed heightened volatility, oscillating between the intra-day high of 163,602 and the low of 161,482, as investors engaged in profit-taking ahead of upcoming economic developments.
The market remained under pressure, with heavyweights such as Lucky Cement, United Bank, Mari Energies, Hub Power and Maple Leaf Cement pulling the index down by 396 points. Overall market participation strengthened and trading volumes surged to 1,214 million shares while traded value rose to Rs41 billion, Topline said. Around 65% of the total value traded was in Shariah-compliant stocks, the PSX announced on X. On the ready market, shares of 481 companies were traded. Of these, 253 stocks closed higher, 192 fell and 36 remained unchanged.
K-Electric was the volume leader with trading in 296.3 million shares, rising Rs0.76 to close at Rs5.80. It was followed by Beco Steel with 107.3 million shares, gaining Rs1 to close at Rs8.14 and TPL Properties with 73.3 million shares, adding Rs0.42 to close at Rs11.77.
Foreign investors sold shares worth Rs341.8 million, according to the National Clearing Company of Pakistan Limited.
