KSE-100 Suffers 678-Point Decline Amid Roll-Over Pressure

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a volatile session as the KSE-100 Index slipped 678 points, closing at 148,815. Despite opening on a strong note, the benchmark index failed to sustain higher levels, hitting an intraday high of 150,080 and a low of 148,757.

Trading activity remained relatively muted with 210.5 million shares changing hands, generating a total turnover of PKR 16.4 billion.

Major drags on the index included:

• BAHL (-2%, -109 points)
• SYS (-2%, -91 points)
• MEBL (-1.4%, -87 points)
• HBL (-1.1%, -55 points)
• LUCK (-0.8%, -52 points)

On the volume board, PIBTL (26.2 million shares) and BOP (20.8 million shares) topped the activity chart.

Sector-wise, profit-taking was evident in Banking, Cement, and E&P stocks, while the Fertilizer sector displayed a mixed performance. On the other hand, selective buying support was seen in OMCs and Pharmaceuticals.

The commencement of the roll-over week exerted pressure on sentiment, keeping investors cautious. While short-term volatility is anticipated, the medium- to long-term outlook remains positive, with E&Ps, OMCs, Fertilizers, and Banking stocks continuing to offer attractive dividend yields and strong growth potential.