ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) held steady on Tuesday, consolidating gains from earlier sessions as investors adopted a wait-and-see stance ahead of key macroeconomic data and policy signals.
Trading volumes and values remained moderate, with major indices recording small but broad-based advances, indicating a pattern that market participants described as consolidation rather than continuation of a rally.
Indices inch up amid balanced trading
According to the PSX Market Summary, the benchmark KSE-100 Index closed at 156,180.94 points, gaining 796.44 points or 0.51 per cent. The All Shares Index added 557.25 points (0.58 per cent) to settle at 95,690.82, while the KSE-30 Index rose 247.40 points (0.52 per cent) to close at 47,714.39.
Sectoral performance was mixed, with the Oil and Gas Total Return Index (OGTI) emerging as the strongest relative gainer, up 1.14 per cent.
Trading activity: moderate and mixed
Daily trading data from the bourse showed that 1.356 billion shares changed hands with a turnover of PKR 43.28 billion across 458,496 trades. Out of 483 active scripts, 280 advanced, 178 declined, and 25 remained unchanged.
Brokers told Dawn that the breadth of advancing stocks suggested underlying support, even as investors were avoiding large directional bets.
Sector movers and price action highlights
Engineering, technology, and industrial counters outperformed. Pak Elektron gained 0.95 points on heavy volumes, while EMCO Industries advanced as investors rotated into cyclical plays.
On the other hand, some banking and chemical names softened, which traders attributed to “lingering caution” around interest-rate expectations and foreign exchange volatility, according to dealers quoted by Business Recorder.
Analysts added that the absence of bold movements underscored a market mood “dominated by consolidation rather than speculation.”
Broader outlook: watch for economic and global cues
Analysts told The News that investors are awaiting upcoming data on inflation, trade balance, and fiscal performance, while global commodity trends remain a key determinant for equity valuations.
Internationally, Asian stocks were mixed on Tuesday, with Japan’s Nikkei slipping 0.3 per cent after a sharp rally and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rising 1.2 per cent, as reported by Reuters.
Wall Street had also closed flat overnight, with the S&P 500 edging 0.07 per cent lower, reflecting investor caution ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s policy meeting.
These developments, analysts noted, are feeding into local investor sentiment, as foreign flows remain sensitive to global risk appetite.
Key statistics at a glance
| Metric | Value |
| KSE-100 Close | 156,180.94 (+0.51%) |
| All Shares Index | 95,690.82 (+0.58%) |
| KSE-30 Close | 47,714.39 (+0.52%) |
| Volume | 1.356 billion shares |
| Value of Trades | PKR 43.28 billion |
| Advancers/Decliners | 280 / 178 |
