KARACHI: Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) ended higher on Friday as strong gains in banking and technology stocks supported the index, although late-session profit-taking ahead of the weekend erased part of the day’s advance and kept the market within its ongoing consolidation range.
The KSE-100 Index gained 373.73 points, or 0.21 percent, to settle at 177,696.51 points. The benchmark moved between an intraday high of 178,042.78 points and a low of 177,165.27 points, showing a relatively narrow trading range of around 878 points compared with some of the wider swings seen during the recent consolidation phase.
The BRIndex100 closed at 19,603.07 points, up 72.95 points, or 0.37 percent, with total volume of 561.71 million shares. The BRIndex30 gained 228.28 points, or 0.32 percent, to settle at 72,099.19 points, on turnover of 372.30 million shares.
According to Ali Najib, Deputy Head of Trading at Arif Habib Ltd, the benchmark index continued to consolidate between the 177,000 and 178,000-point levels. The market remained in positive territory for most of the session, but weekly traders opted to book profits during the afternoon ahead of the weekend, partially reversing earlier gains.
The index’s advance was primarily supported by selected banking and technology-related stocks. Systems Limited (SYS), Bank of Punjab (BOP), Habib Bank Limited (HBL), Meezan Bank Limited (MEBL), and Interloop Limited (ILP) collectively contributed 594 points to the benchmark.
Their positive contribution was partly offset by selling in Service Industries (SRVI), Pakistan Oilfields Limited (POL), United Bank Limited (UBL), Engro Fertilisers (EFERT), and Sazgar Engineering Works (SAZEW), which collectively erased around 200 points from the index.
Despite the positive movement in the benchmark index, market breadth remained negative. Out of 494 active companies in the Ready Market, 202 advanced, 257 declined, and 35 remained unchanged.
Ready Market turnover increased to 658.33 million shares, compared with 614.06 million shares in the preceding session, an increase of approximately 44.27 million shares, or 7.2 percent.
The value of Ready Market transactions stood at Rs31.45 billion, compared with Rs34.55 billion in the previous session.
This represented a decline of approximately Rs3.09 billion, or 8.9 percent, despite the increase in the number of shares traded.
Aggregate market capitalisation, however, increased to Rs19.89 trillion, from Rs19.86 trillion in the preceding session. The rise amounted to approximately Rs24.89 billion, indicating a modest improvement in the overall value of listed equities.
Bank of Punjab emerged as the most actively traded stock in the Ready Market, with 91.72 million shares changing hands, closing at Rs34.97 per share. Cnergyico PK followed with 90.86 million shares, ending at Rs14.41.
WorldCall Telecom recorded 46.40 million shares and closed at Rs1.17, while Pak Refinery traded 29.13 million shares to finish at Rs94.93.
Among the leading price gainers, Buxly Paints Limited recorded the largest increase, climbing Rs69.63 to close at Rs765.93 per share. Rafhan Maize Products Company Limited followed with a gain of Rs53.00, ending at Rs9,300.00.
On the losing side, Unilever Pakistan Foods Limited registered the largest absolute decline, falling Rs429.22 to Rs25,531.36, while Ismail Industries Limited shed Rs35.49 to close at Rs1,864.00.
The BR Tech. & Comm. Index jumped 102.22 points, or 2.93 percent, to 3,585.71 points, with turnover of 73.23 million shares.
The BR Commercial Banks Index advanced 358.16 points, or 0.58 percent, to close at 62,435.49 points, generating turnover of 111.81 million shares.
In contrast, the BR Power Generation and Distribution Index eased 38.56 points, or 0.14 percent, to 26,946.40 points, with 29.47 million shares traded.
The BR Oil and Gas Index declined 26.87 points, or 0.17 percent, to settle at 15,367.51 points, with turnover of 27.05 million shares.
The BR Automobile Assembler Index fell 67.86 points, or 0.28 percent, to close at 23,944.65 points, on trading volume of 2.19 million shares, while the BR Cement Index lost 38.80 points, or 0.31 percent, to end at 12,543.74 points, with 28.66 million shares changing hands.
Going forward, Ali Najib expects selective profit-taking and stock-specific volatility to persist amid the ongoing result season. Geopolitical developments and international oil prices are also expected to remain important drivers of investor sentiment and market direction.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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