The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a mixed trading session by midday on Thursday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index hovering in the 165,700–166,800 range after opening close to its previous level of 165,811 points.
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At the latest check, the index stood around 165,736 points, marking a marginal decline of about 74 points, or 0.04%. Early volatility was evident as the market swung between intraday highs and lows before stabilising.
Trading activity remained strong, with volumes exceeding 572 million shares worth over Rs33.95 billion across nearly 289,000 transactions. Market breadth leaned negative, as 301 stocks declined, 168 advanced, and 96 remained unchanged out of 565 active scrips.
Sector Performance:
Fertilizer and banking stocks, which led Wednesday’s historic rally, faced profit-taking pressure. However, selective buying persisted in cement, energy, and textile sectors.
Among notable performers, textile stocks such as Service Industries Textile and Shadman Cotton posted gains, while some blue-chip shares experienced mild selling pressure.
Previous Session Surge:
On Wednesday, the PSX recorded its largest-ever single-day gain, with the KSE-100 Index surging over 14,000 points (+9%), driven by improved investor sentiment following easing geopolitical tensions after a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire between the US and Iran.
The rally triggered a temporary market halt after the KSE-30 Index crossed the 5% threshold, in line with exchange regulations. Trading was briefly suspended before resuming later in the morning, with the bullish momentum continuing throughout the session.
By the close, the KSE-100 settled at 165,811.01, up 14,137.55 points, or 9.32%.
Market analysts attributed the surge to a sharp improvement in the external environment, including declining global oil prices and renewed diplomatic momentum. Additional support came from stable macroeconomic indicators, including Pakistan’s successful $1.43 billion Eurobond repayment and continued backing from the Asian Development Bank.
Despite Thursday’s consolidation, analysts say investor confidence remains intact, with markets likely to stay sensitive to geopolitical developments and economic signals in the coming days.
