The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) closed the week on a subdued note as late-session selling erased early gains, leaving the benchmark KSE-100 Index marginally lower. By the closing bell on Friday, the index had shed 37.67 points, a slight decline of 0.03 percent, finishing at 146,491.63 points compared to the previous day’s close of 146,529.31 points.
Trading activity was notably slower compared to the previous session. A total of 473.6 million shares changed hands, down from 647.09 million shares a day earlier. The total traded value also slipped, coming in at Rs. 32.88 billion against Rs. 40.89 billion in the prior session.
Market breadth remained mixed, with 479 companies participating in the day’s trade. Of these, 226 closed in positive territory, 219 ended in the red, while 34 saw no change in their share prices. This distribution reflected the market’s cautious mood as investors balanced optimism in select sectors with profit-taking ahead of the weekend.
In terms of volume leaders, Aisha Steel Mills topped the list with 30,027,480 shares traded, closing at Rs. 13.47 per share. Media Times Limited followed with 21,707,355 shares at Rs. 3.62 per share, while Air Link Communication secured the third spot with 19,881,458 shares traded at Rs. 168.04 per share.
On the gainers’ board, Hoechst Pakistan Limited posted the most significant price increase, climbing Rs. 280.91 to close at Rs. 3,506.71. Unilever Pakistan Foods Limited was the next biggest gainer, adding Rs. 41.00 to settle at Rs. 32,000.00 per share. These advances were supported by selective buying in high-value blue-chip stocks, which lent some stability to the broader market.
On the flip side, PIA Holding Company Limited suffered the steepest loss of the session, dropping Rs. 856.90 to finish at Rs. 27,814.97. Nestle Pakistan Limited also experienced a notable decline, losing Rs. 103.97 to close at Rs. 8,654.09. The declines in these heavyweight counters contributed to the index’s inability to hold on to earlier gains.
Analysts noted that the flat close reflected an overall wait-and-see approach among investors, with market participants keeping a close watch on macroeconomic signals, global commodity price trends, and developments in the currency market. With mixed earnings reports and cautious foreign participation, traders appeared inclined to lock in profits before the weekend, leading to the late selling pressure.
While the PSX ended the week largely unchanged, market watchers expect activity to pick up in the coming sessions, particularly as investors position themselves ahead of upcoming corporate announcements and potential policy signals from economic managers.