The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a turbulent trading session on Monday, April 28, 2025, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index closing at 114,063.90 points, marking a drop of 1,405.44 points, or a 1.22% decrease compared to the previous session. This decline came after the index experienced significant intraday fluctuations, showcasing a trading range of 2,791.14 points, reaching an intraday high of 116,658.94 (+1,189.60 points) and a low of 113,867.80 (-1,601.54 points).
During the day, a total of 190.22 million shares of the KSE-100 Index were traded, reflecting a relatively active market. However, the overall sentiment was negative, with 26 companies closing in the positive, 71 companies in the negative, and 3 companies remaining unchanged.
The top losers of the day included prominent stocks such as GlaxoSmithKline (GLAXO), which saw a sharp decline of 6.62%, followed by Engro Corporation (ENGROH), which dropped by 6.21%. Other notable losers were Searle (SEARL), which declined by 5.91%, Pak Elektron (PAEL), down by 5.44%, and Pak Brunei Investment Co. (PIBTL), which fell by 5.23%.
On the flip side, some stocks showed positive movement. Systems Limited (SYS) led the gainers with a significant increase of 7.39%, followed by Pak-Gulf Leasing Co. Ltd. (PKGP), up by 6.38%. Other stocks that saw gains were EFU General Insurance (EFUG) (+4.88%), JDW Sugar Mills (JDWS) (+4.71%), and Adamjee Insurance (AICL) (+2.50%).
From a sector perspective, several industries weighed down on the overall index, including Investment Banks/Investment Companies/Securities Companies, which contributed a negative 346.65 points, Oil & Gas Exploration Companies (-299.25 points), and Commercial Banks (-220.30 points). The Pharmaceuticals sector also faced a decline of 148.83 points, while Oil & Gas Marketing Companies dropped by 140.89 points.
Despite these losses, there were certain sectors that provided support to the index. The Technology & Communication sector helped lift the index by 181.85 points, followed by positive contributions from the Insurance sector (+18.66 points), Leather & Tanneries (+17.50 points), Sugar & Allied Industries (+10.62 points), and Property (+6.05 points).
The broader market also mirrored the trend seen in the KSE-100 Index, with the All-Share Index closing at 71,163.24 points, down by 951.59 points, or a 1.32% decline. The total market volume for the session stood at 423.94 million shares, a decrease from the previous session’s volume of 471.07 million shares. The traded value was recorded at Rs26.46 billion, down by Rs0.85 billion compared to the previous day.
In terms of trading activity, Bank of Punjab (BOP) saw the highest volume of shares traded, with 23.7 million shares, although the stock declined by 4.22%. Other high-volume stocks included Power Cement (POWER), which dropped by 6.93%, and Worldcall Telecom (WTL), which saw a decrease of 2.33%. Meanwhile, Lucky Cement (LUCK) showed positive movement with a 2.45% gain, and it was one of the top gainers in terms of volume, with nearly 10 million shares traded.
It’s worth noting that despite the drop in Monday’s trading session, the KSE-100 Index has shown an overall positive performance during the current fiscal year. The index has gained an impressive 35,619 points, or 45.41%, so far in the fiscal year. However, it has experienced a slight decline of 1,063 points, or 0.92%, in the current calendar year.
The volatility seen in today’s session highlights the unpredictable nature of the stock market, as global and domestic factors continue to influence investor sentiment. As the market adapts to various economic indicators, investors will be keeping a close watch on upcoming developments to determine the next move for the KSE-100 Index.