The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) wrapped up Friday’s trading session with the benchmark KSE-100 Index closing at 119,649.14, marking a decline of 312.77 points or 0.26%. This downturn came amid profit-taking after recent gains, with the index exhibiting significant volatility throughout the day.
The index traded within a wide range of 965.02 points, reaching an intraday high of 120,506.17 — up 544.26 points — before slipping to a low of 119,541.15, down by 420.76 points. Total trading volume for the KSE-100 Index amounted to 235.07 million shares, reflecting active investor participation despite the pullback.
Out of the 100 companies listed on the index, 47 closed higher, 51 declined, and 2 remained unchanged. Leading the losses were Pakistan Gas Company Limited (PGLC), which dropped 5.89%, followed by Pakistan Steel (PSEL) at 5.12%, Pak Elektron Limited (PAEL) down 3.45%, TRG Pakistan (-2.76%), and D.G. Khan Cement (DGKC) which fell by 2.62%.
On the gainers’ side, Pak Oman Manufacturing Limited (POML) posted an impressive 10% rise, while International Steels Limited (ISL) added 7.18%. Other top performers included Mughal Iron and Steel Industries (+6.97%), Lotte Chemical (+6.55%), and International Industries Limited (INIL) up 5.74%.
When looking at index-point contributions, the major drags on the index were Fertilizer companies, led by Fauji Fertilizer Company (FFC), which shaved off 148.47 points. Lucky Cement (LUCK) and Mari Petroleum (MARI) further pressured the index by 75.24 and 70.90 points, respectively. Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDC) and Pakistan State Oil (PSO) also weighed on the market, subtracting 48.11 and 44.72 points each.
Conversely, sectors supporting the index included Commercial Banks, which collectively contributed 187.54 points. Engro Corporation (ENGROH) added 53.80 points, followed by United Bank Limited (UBL) with 48.80 points. Other contributors were Bank AL Habib Limited (BAHL), Bank Alfalah Limited (BAFL), and Service Industries (SRVI), which added 36.16, 34.89, and 28.49 points respectively.
Sector-wise, the market struggled mainly due to losses in Fertilizer (-190.84 points), Cement (-172.07 points), Oil & Gas Exploration Companies (-151.37 points), Oil & Gas Marketing Companies (-64.51 points), and Miscellaneous sectors (-37.73 points). Meanwhile, Commercial Banks (+187.54 points), Pharmaceuticals (+63.01 points), Engineering (+57.39 points), Investment Banks and Securities Companies (+42.22 points), and Chemicals (+30.29 points) helped cushion the decline.
Beyond the KSE-100, the broader All-Share Index closed at 74,209.25, down by a modest 31.27 points or 0.04%. Overall market volume dropped to 572.29 million shares, compared to 698.97 million shares in the previous session, while the traded value decreased sharply by Rs10.06 billion to Rs29.03 billion.
Friday saw 343,444 trades across 465 listed companies, with 206 ending higher, 209 declining, and 50 remaining unchanged, indicating a balanced but cautious market mood.
Among the most actively traded stocks by volume were Premair Limited (PREMA) with 44.6 million shares changing hands and a price gain of 1.03%, followed by Cnergyico PK Limited (CNERGY) at 32.3 million shares despite a 2.17% loss. Other notable volumes included Lotte Chemical (LOTCHEM) with 28.6 million shares rising 6.55%, Pakistan Refinery Limited (PRL) at 24.3 million shares, and K-Electric Limited (KEL) with 19.5 million shares traded.
The session underscored the ongoing balancing act at PSX as investors weigh recent gains against emerging profit-taking pressures, while market watchers await new economic developments and policy signals that could steer the exchange’s direction in the weeks ahead.