KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) came under renewed selling pressure on Monday as investor sentiment weakened following fresh geopolitical uncertainty over the weekend, prompting widespread profit-taking that dragged the market, erasing previous session’s gains.
The benchmark KSE-100 Index declined by 1,156.47 points, or 0.64 percent, to close at 178,414.80 points compared with the previous close of 179,571.27 points. The market remained volatile throughout the session, with the benchmark touching an intraday high of 180,272.02 points before sliding to a low of 178,331.00 points, reflecting persistent selling pressure across the day.
The Business Recorder indices likewise reflected broad-based weakness. BRIndex100 closed at 19,710.07 points, down 220.04 points or 1.10 percent from the previous session, with total traded volume of 543.93 million shares. BRIndex30 declined by 1,035.02 points, or 1.40 percent, to settle at 72,666.12 points on turnover of 358.47 million shares.
According to Ali Najib, Deputy Head of Trading at Arif Habib Limited, the market remained under pressure throughout the session as renewed geopolitical uncertainty weighed on investor confidence. He said investors largely adopted a cautious approach, leading to profit-taking that kept the benchmark index in negative territory.
Najib noted that Fauji Fertilizer Company (FFC), Hub Power Company (HUBC), Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDC), Bank Alfalah (BAFL), Lucky Cement (LUCK), Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL), Habib Bank Limited (HBL), Fauji Cement Company Limited (FCCL), Systems Limited (SYS), Meezan Bank Limited (MEBL) and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGP) collectively shaved 973 points off the benchmark index.
Overall market activity remained strong despite the decline in share prices. Ready market turnover increased to 869.38 million shares from 851.30 million shares traded in the previous session. The value of shares traded in the ready market also improved to Rs43.95 billion compared with Rs40.38 billion a day earlier.
Total market capitalization declined to Rs20.02 trillion from Rs20.13 trillion recorded in the previous session, wiping out approximately Rs114.48 billion in market value as selling pressure persisted across heavyweight sectors.
Market breadth remained decisively negative. In the ready market, 151 companies advanced, 320 declined and 23 remained unchanged out of 494 traded companies.
Trading activity was led by Sitara Petroleum, which topped the volume chart with 104.44 million shares, closing at Rs19.49. WorldCall Telecom followed with 75.53 million shares at Rs1.24, while K-Electric traded 51.57 million shares to close at Rs8.57.
On the gainers’ table, Sapphire Textile Mills Limited emerged as the top performer, rising Rs78.89 to close at Rs1,538.89, followed by The Premier Sugar Mills Limited, which gained Rs69.30 to settle at Rs762.29.
On the losing side, Unilever Pakistan Foods Limited recorded the steepest decline, shedding Rs90.54 to close at Rs25,705.11, while Khairpur Sugar Mills Limited fell Rs85.44 to end at Rs2,300.23.
Among sector-specific BR indices, the BR Automobile Assembler Index fell 170.55 points, or 0.71 percent, to close at 24,012.57 points with turnover of 3.30 million shares. The BR Cement Index lost 133.51 points, or 1.02 percent, to finish at 12,983.69 points on volume of 51.93 million shares. The BR Commercial Banks Index declined by 309.00 points, or 0.52 percent, to settle at 59,501.38 points with turnover of 77.03 million shares.
The BR Power Generation and Distribution Index dropped 495.82 points, or 1.67 percent, to close at 29,194.05 points on traded volume of 63.28 million shares. The BR Oil and Gas Index fell by 194.40 points, or 1.24 percent, to end at 15,482.93 points with turnover of 164.39 million shares, while the BR Tech & Communication Index declined by 56.06 points, or 1.43 percent, to settle at 3,854.33 points on volume of 118.78 million shares.
Looking ahead, Ali Najib said lower international oil prices and growing expectations of an interest rate cut could support investor sentiment, although market direction would largely depend on upcoming inflation data, the State Bank of Pakistan’s monetary policy signals and further geopolitical developments.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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