The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) closed Tuesday’s trading session on a positive note, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index gaining 808.28 points to settle at 114,872.18. This marks a 0.71% increase in a session characterized by heightened volatility, wide sectoral movements, and investor recalibration following mixed signals in the economic environment.
Throughout the day, the KSE-100 Index moved within a considerable range of 2,105.02 points, reaching an intraday high of 115,040.58—up by 976.68 points—while also touching a session low of 112,935.56, down by as much as 1,128.34 points at one point. This wide trading band illustrates the fragile investor sentiment currently dominating the bourse, as market participants weigh optimism over fiscal performance against persistent economic headwinds.
Volume on the KSE-100 Index reached 185.49 million shares, with broad participation reflected in the movement of individual stocks. Out of 100 constituent companies, 62 closed in the green, 35 registered losses, and 3 remained unchanged by the close.
Among the top performing stocks for the session were Askari Bank Limited (AKBL) which surged by 10.01%, Pakistan Oil Mills Limited (POML) up 10.00%, D.G. Khan Cement Company Limited (DGKC) rising 7.53%, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGP) gaining 6.37%, and Engro Polymer and Chemicals (ENGROH) with an increase of 6.08%. These gains were primarily fueled by strong buying interest in key sectors, including banking, energy, and chemicals.
Conversely, the worst-performing stocks included International Industries Limited (INIL), which dropped 4.44%, followed by Pakgen Power (PKGP) down 3.77%, International Laboratories (ILP) falling 3.39%, Bestway Cement (BWCL) losing 3.39%, and International Steels (ISL) slipping by 2.73%. The negative performance in these stocks was primarily attributed to sector-specific headwinds and lower-than-expected earnings forecasts.
From a contribution standpoint, companies that gave the biggest push to the index included ENGROH with +303.28 points, Mari Petroleum (+182.78 pts), Systems Limited (SYS) with +121.89 pts, MCB Bank (+80.41 pts), and SNGP (+71.31 pts). On the flip side, notable laggards were Lucky Cement (LUCK) which pulled the index down by 141.56 points, followed by United Bank Limited (UBL) at -74.79 pts, Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) -69.83 pts, Fauji Fertilizer Company (FFC) -48.10 pts, and BWCL -27.96 pts.
Sector-wise performance indicated strength in Investment Banks, Investment Companies and Securities Firms, which added 301.69 points to the index, followed by Commercial Banks (+172.00 pts), Technology & Communication (+130.25 pts), Oil & Gas Marketing Companies (+120.90 pts), and Oil & Gas Exploration Companies (+90.33 pts). Meanwhile, sectors dragging the index included Cement (-49.54 pts), Power Generation & Distribution (-43.50 pts), Engineering (-24.22 pts), Fertilizer (-20.71 pts), and Paper, Board & Packaging (-10.88 pts).
In the broader market, the All-Share Index also closed in positive territory, finishing at 71,509.46 with a net gain of 346.22 points or 0.49%. Total market volume stood at 409.93 million shares, slightly lower than the previous session’s 423.94 million. However, the traded value improved to Rs29.07 billion, an increase of Rs2.61 billion.
A total of 444 companies were active in trading during the session. Of these, 211 closed higher, 182 ended lower, and 51 remained unchanged. The most actively traded stocks by volume included WorldCall Telecom (WTL) with 29.4 million shares, followed by Cnergyico, PREMA, Maple Leaf Cement (MLCF), and K-Electric (KEL), among others.
Despite a strong fiscal year showing a gain of 36,427 points or 46.44%, the KSE-100 Index has slightly decreased by 255 points or 0.22% in the current calendar year so far. Tuesday’s strong recovery signals cautious optimism among investors, though market resilience will continue to be tested by macroeconomic developments in the coming weeks.