KARACHI: Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a volatile session on Tuesday but managed to close in positive territory amid cautious investor sentiment.
The benchmark KSE-100 Index demonstrated strong resilience, gaining 959 points, or 0.56 percent, to close at 173,155.79 points, up from 172,196.70 points in the previous session. The index touched an intraday high of 175,298.12 points and a low of 172,837.80 points.
On Tuesday, the BRIndex100 opened at 19,125.61 points and closed at 19,158.60 points, gaining 32.99 points or 0.17 percent. Total traded volume at BRIndex100 was 956 million shares. In contrast, the BRIndex30 slipped by 22.67 points, or 0.03 percent, to settle at 70,505.59 points compared to the previous session, with trading volume recorded at 649.89 million shares.
Analysts at Topline Securities said that the local bourse experienced a highly volatile session, with investors treading cautiously amid mounting geopolitical uncertainty. Market participants remained fixated on the anticipated second round of negotiations between the United States and Iran, expected to commence in Pakistan, while conflicting signals and rising tensions kept sentiment on edge.
The choppy price action highlighted a classic tug-of-war between bullish momentum and risk aversion, as investors weighed hopes of diplomatic progress against the risk of further escalation, they added.
On the index front, key heavyweights including MEBL, UBL, PSO, BAHL, HMB, and ATRL collectively contributed 757 points to the benchmark’s advance, underscoring the index-heavy nature of the rally and continued institutional interest in blue-chip names.
The market capitalization rose by Rs 101 billion to reach Rs 19.161 trillion. Out of 489 actives scrips, 279 closed in positive and 165 in negative while the value of 45 stocks remained unchanged.
Market activity remained vibrant, with total volumes clocking in at 1,165 million shares and a turnover of PKR 54.9 billion, reflecting improved depth and broader participation. CNERGY led the volume chart, with 83 million shares traded, signaling sustained retail interest in low-priced plays. B.O. Punjab ranked second with82.4 million shares at Rs 37.03 followed by Pak Refinery that closed at 38.84 with share trading of 67.5 million shares.
Khairpur Sugar Mills Limited and Sapphire Fibres Limited were the top gainers increasing by Rs 82.31and Rs 68.57respectively to close at Rs924.68and Rs1,076.57,while PIA Holding Company LimitedB and Blessed Textiles Limited were the top losers declining by Rs 221.71 and Rs 36.27 respectively to close at Rs 18,021.29 and Rs 1,460.02
The BR Automobile Assembler Index closed at 26,419.60 points, posting a marginal gain of 6.96 points, or 0.03 percent, with total turnover recorded at 5.22 million shares. The BR Cement Index, however, ended in negative territory, declining by 45.93 points, or 0.38 percent, to close at 11,918.21 points. The sector witnessed a total turnover of 24.97 million shares.
The BR Commercial Banks Index remained the top performer, surging by 944.22 points, or 1.61 percent, to settle at 59,426.93 points, with a robust trading volume of 113.20 million shares. The BR Power Generation and Distribution Index closed higher at 28,641.97 points, gaining 95.59 points, or 0.33 percent, as total turnover stood at 127.62 million shares.
The BR Oil and Gas Index also ended on a positive note, inching up by 19.93 points, or 0.13 percent, to close at 15,161.31 points, with trading volume of 71.90 million shares. Similarly, the BR Technology and Communication Index advanced by 10.39 points, or 0.28 percent, to close at 3,728.66 points, recording the highest turnover among sectors at 130.67 million shares.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026