KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) came under heavy selling pressure on Monday, with broad-based weakness across major sectors dragging the index down as investors remained cautious and selling intensified in commercial banks, oil and gas and cement stocks.
The benchmark KSE-100 Index shed 1,692.74 points, or 0.97 percent, to close at 173,636.08 points, compared with Friday’s 175,328.82 points. The index opened the session with a high of 175,353.67 points, only slightly above Friday’s close, but selling pressure subsequently intensified, taking the benchmark to an intraday low of 173,603.75 points.
The BRIndex100 fell 214.21 points, or 1.11 percent, to close at 19,145.18 points, compared with the previous close of 19,359.39 points. Turnover in the index stood at 494.262 million shares. The BRIndex30 was among the weakest performers, declining 1,449.14 points, or 2.03 percent, to 69,932.63 points against 71,381.77 points on Friday. Its total volume stood at 267.252 million shares.
According to Mubashir Anis Naviwala of JS Research, the market witnessed selling pressure throughout most of the session and closed near the lower levels of the day. Selling was particularly visible in the Commercial Banks, Oil & Gas and Cement sectors, with banks emerging as the largest drag and contributing around 621 points to the decline in the index. Oil and gas and cement stocks also weighed heavily on the benchmark, while overall sentiment remained cautious amid broad-based weakness across major sectors.
Ready-market turnover declined to 679.189 million shares on Monday from 874.323 million shares on Friday, a reduction of approximately 195.134 million shares, or 22.32 percent.
Traded value also fell to Rs23.692 billion from Rs32.417 billion, declining by approximately Rs8.725 billion, or 26.91 percent.
The contraction in trading value came alongside a substantial decline in overall market capitalisation. Aggregate market capitalisation fell by Rs194.691 billion to Rs19.435 trillion, from Rs19.629 trillion in the preceding session.
The market’s breadth was heavily skewed toward losers. Of 495 active issues, 311 stocks declined, compared with only 154 advancing stocks, while 30 remained unchanged.
Cnergyico PK remained the most actively traded stock in the ready market, with 82.458 million shares changing hands. The stock closed at Rs13.02, down from Friday’s Rs13.92.
Ist Capital Sec ranked second with 41.468 million shares. It closed at Rs5.31, up from Rs4.88.
Pak Refinery recorded 39.965 million shares. The stock closed Rs88.84.
Despite the broad market decline, several individual stocks recorded sizable absolute gains. PIA Holding Company Limited B led the gainers, advancing Rs225.12 to close at Rs17,224.12, while Buxly Paints Limited surged Rs98.91 to Rs1,088.05.
On the losing side, Rafhan Maize Products Company Limited recorded the sharpest absolute decline, falling Rs52.01 to Rs9,223.00, followed by Sazgar Engineering Works Limited, which declined Rs38.77 to close at Rs1,811.36.
The BR Automobile Assembler Index dropped 190.36 points, or 0.80 percent, to 23,701.54 points, compared with 23,891.90 points, on turnover of 1.300 million shares.
The BR Cement Index declined 152.70 points, or 1.24 percent, to 12,144.74 points from 12,297.44 points, with turnover of 44.962 million shares. The sector was specifically identified among those weighing heavily on the broader market.
The BR Commercial Banks Index fell 703.32 points, or 1.15 percent, to 60,274.31 points from 60,977.63 points, with a total volume of 26.732 million shares.
The BR Power Generation and Distribution Index declined 141.85 points, or 0.53 percent, to 26,419.82 points from 26,561.67 points, on turnover of 16.876 million shares.
The BR Oil and Gas Index decreased 201.26 points, or 1.32 percent, to 15,054.53 points, compared with 15,255.79 points previously, with turnover of 27.416 million shares.
The BR Tech & Comm Index posted the smallest decline among the tracked sectoral indices, falling 11.67 points, or 0.33 percent, to 3,502.45 points from 3,514.12 points, on total turnover of 63.489 million shares.
Analysts say Monday’s session marked a clear shift from the relatively subdued positive close seen at the end of last week.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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