KARACHI: Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a mixed session on Thursday, with major indices closing predominantly lower amid cautious investor sentiment as investors engaged in profit-taking and cautious trading amid uncertainty over market direction.
The KSE-100 Index fell by 877.17 points, or 0.52 percent, to close at 168,574.69 points, compared with its previous close of 169,451.86 points. The index fluctuated between an intraday high of 170,301.48 and a low of 168,548.46 before settling just above the lower mark.
On Thursday, the BRIndex100 closed at 17,783.31, down 52.95 points or 0.3 percent from the previous close, with a total volume of approximately 894 million shares. The BRIndex30 ended at 57,826.87, declining 358.07 points or 0.62 percent, with a total volume of around 418 million shares.
In its post-session commentary, Topline Securities noted that the market took a breather as profit-taking emerged near the 170,000 milestone. The local bourse witnessed a measured round of profit booking as the benchmark index approached this key psychological barrier.
On the news front, sentiment was supported by a landmark development: Pakistan successfully completed a Rs659.6 billion settlement of Power Holding Limited (PHL) debts, marking the largest-ever transaction in the country’s debt capital markets. This historic move is expected to enhance fiscal stability and bolster confidence across financial circles.
Stock-specific activity painted a mixed picture. ENGROH, NML, OGDC, KAPCO, and AICL collectively added 319 points to the index, providing much-needed support. However, this strength was offset by weakness in FFC, LUCK, HBL, and PSEL, which together dragged the index down by 566 points.
Trading activity showed an increase in volume, with a total of 1.29 billion shares exchanged, up from 1.19 billion shares in the previous session, while the traded value for the registered market reached Rs55.23 billion. Despite this increase in turnover, overall market capitalization declined to Rs19.22 trillion from Rs19.29 trillion, indicating that profit-taking and cautious sentiment prevailed throughout the day.
The Ready Market saw robust activity, with Hum Network leading in turnover as 187.98 million shares changed hands to close at Rs14.65. Pakgen Power followed closely with 180.08 million shares traded, closing at Rs58.92. Other actively traded companies included TPL Properties, TPL Corp Ltd, Dost Steels, F. Nat. Equities, Sui Southern Gas, Bank Makramah, Pak Int. Bulk, and B.O. Punjab, reflecting significant investor rotation in high-volume counters.
Price movements were dominated by Khyber Textile Mills, which surged by Rs114.59 to close at Rs2,025.53, marking the session’s largest gain, while Hafiz Limited advanced by Rs37.13 to close at Rs408.59. Conversely, Unilever Pakistan Foods recorded the steepest decline, falling by Rs289.00 to end at Rs28,710.00, while Pakistan Services Limited decreased by Rs81.22 to Rs1,318.05.
Among the 486 companies traded in the Ready Market, 190 companies closed higher, 257 ended lower, while 39 remained unchanged, reflecting a cautious trading sentiment amid mixed investor activity.
The BR Automobile Assembler Index closed at 24,130.57, down 169.21 points or 0.7 percent, with a total turnover of approximately 2.17 million shares. The BR Cement Index ended at 14,079.93, declining 267.29 points or 1.86 percent, on a turnover of around 51.84 million shares.
The BR Commercial Banks Index closed at 49,270.36, down 268.13 points or 0.54 percent, with 67.81 million shares traded. The BR Power Generation and Distribution Index rose to 26,971.59, gaining 91.28 points or 0.34 percent, with a total turnover of 252.55 million shares.
The BR Oil and Gas Index ended at 14,533.45, up 28.14 points or 0.19 percent, on a turnover of 62.62 million shares. The BR Technology & Communication Index closed at 4,049.11, gaining 13.83 points or 0.34 percent, with a total turnover of 310.56 million shares.
Analysts noted that the trading session reflected cautious investor behavior, with selective buying observed while profit-taking weighed on consumer staples and banking stocks. Overall market sentiment remained subdued, keeping key indices under pressure, as investors appeared to await fresh corporate announcements and macroeconomic developments before making substantial moves.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025