Key Points
- KSE-100 closes at 163,806.21, down 638.50 points (–0.39 %)
- Volume reaches 1,978,654,033 shares, value trades at Rs 36,992,416,131
- Declines dominate: 277 stocks down versus 166 advancing
- Market watchers cite correction after recent rally and repositioning ahead of macro cues
KARACHI: Pakistan’s bourse remained under pressure on Friday and ended the week on negative note with the benchmark index shedding 0.39 per cent as part of an ongoing technical correction.
The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) ended the weekend trading under selling pressure in the event of investors booked profits following a strong rally in recent sessions. The benchmark KSE-100 Index closed at 163,806.21, falling 638.50 points, or 0.39 percent, according to figures from the PSX Market Summary.
Trading was active: the volume for the day stood at almost two billion shares, with a total traded value of Rs 36.992 billion and 402,889 trades were recorded.
Market breadth was weak: 166 stocks advanced, 277 declined, and 40 remained unchanged. )
Intraday swings, sector pressures
The session saw considerable volatility. The intraday high touched 165,030.82, while the low dipped to 163,118.01 before slight recovery toward closing reflecting high volatility and divergent pull.
Major indices also ended in red: KSE-30 dropped 343.31 points (0.68 %); KMI-30 fell by 850.63 points (0.36 %); OGTI, tracking oil & gas, had one of the steeper declines at –1.20 per cent.
Declines were broad-based, with pressure visible in banking, fertilizer, and energy sectors. Several large-cap names weighed heavily on the index, though small gains in select midcaps provided limited support.
What’s driving sentiment
Analysts and market participants suggest the dip was largely driven by profit-taking after sustained gains in recent weeks. One broker told local media that institutional players trimmed positions ahead of anticipated macro policy signals.
Further pressure came from global cues and concerns over foreign capital flows, factors that often amplify market sensitivity in Pakistan’s equity environment.
Outlook
With investors cautious ahead of key economic policy announcements — especially around interest rates, foreign funding, and external debate, the market may consolidate in the 163,000–165,500 zone. A decisive move above 165,500 or below 163,000 could set the tone for next week’s trajectory.
