KSE-100 sheds over 1,400 points amid late profit-taking

A volatile session was observed at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Friday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index swinging both ways as investors resorted to profit-taking during the final hours of trading.

The market started on a negative note, shedding over 2,000 points to hit an intra-day low of 162,411.25. However, it recouped sharply and registered an intra-day high of 165,262.85.

Profit-taking was observed in the final hours of the trading session. At close, the benchmark KSE-100 settled at 163,098.19, a decrease of 1,432.61 points or 0.87%.

Top negative contribution to the index came from ENGROH, SYS, MCB, HBL and EFERT, as they cumulatively contributed -732 points to the index, brokerage house Topline Securities said in its post-market report.

In a key development, the inflow of overseas workers’ remittances into Pakistan stood at $3.2 billion in September 2025, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) data showed on Thursday.

Remittances increased by 11.3% year-on-year (YoY), compared to $2.9 billion recorded in the same month last year. On a monthly basis, remittances were up 1%, compared to $3.1 billion in August.

Moreover, two pivotal memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were signed, marking significant progress in K-Electric’s ownership and future collaboration framework.

The first MoU was signed for the sale and purchase of shares in KES Power Ltd. The second MoU was signed between K-Electric Limited and Trident Energy Ltd to explore strategic cooperation and investment opportunities in Pakistan’s power sector.

On Thursday, PSX closed on a negative note as broad-based selling pressure erased early gains, dragging key indices lower by the close. The benchmark KSE-100 Index fell 735.94 points, or 0.45%, to settle at 164,530.81.

KSE-100 Index declined by 3.48% on week-on-week (WoW) basis.

Globally, Asian stocks limped towards the end of the week on a shaky footing on Friday as declines on Wall Street lingered into early trading, while commodity markets took a breather after their recent charge higher.

Globally, regional markets remain on track for one of their best years in a decade, firmly outstripping gains for US counterparts as President Donald Trump’s package of economic policies and tariffs prompts a surge of orders across the region to meet booming demand for AI-linked technology hardware.

The US trading session marked the point where several “well-subscribed, high-momentum trades”, including gold, silver, crypto, and much of the S&P 500 “finally showed signs of exhaustion,” said Chris Weston, head of research at Pepperstone Group Ltd in Melbourne.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fluctuated between gains and losses, last down 0.2% as its gains for the week hung in the balance, after US stocks ended the previous session with mild declines.

Shares in Hong Kong were down the most, off 1.1%, while the Australian market slid 0.1% against a backdrop of volatile commodity markets. In South Korea, stocks surged 1.7%, extending gains for the region’s best-performing index.

Volume on the all-share index decreased to 1,401 million from 1,570 million recorded in the previous close. The value of shares declined to Rs47.79 billion from Rs50.53 billion in the previous session.

K-Electric Ltd was the volume leader with 199.99 million shares, followed by WorldCall Telecom with 143.93 million shares, and B.O.Punjab with 90.24 million shares.

Shares of 479 companies were traded on Friday, of which 145 registered an increase, 302 recorded a fall, and 32 remained unchanged.