KARACHI, February 23, 2026 — The PSX experienced a highly volatile session on Monday, with sustained selling pressure pushing the KSE-100 index sharply lower. Investor confidence remained fragile due to geopolitical tensions, uneven corporate earnings, and anticipation of the upcoming IMF assessment.
The market opened positively, with the KSE-100 index reaching an intra-day high of 174,336.86 points. However, early gains were short-lived as profit-taking and cautious positioning dominated trading. Selling intensified throughout the session, dragging the index to an intra-day low of 166,886.63 points.
By the close, the PSX benchmark KSE-100 index fell 5,478.63 points, or 3.16%, settling at 167,691.08. Broad-based weakness was observed across major sectors, reflecting risk-off sentiment amid macroeconomic uncertainty. Top index-heavy stocks including Fauji Fertiliser Company, Lucky Cement, Engro Holdings, National Bank of Pakistan, and Habib Bank Limited collectively contributed to a 1,797-point decline.
On the corporate front, Oil & Gas Development Company Limited (OGDC) announced its highest-ever first-half dividend of Rs7.8 per share for FY26. While this demonstrated strong financial performance, it could not offset the overall market downturn.
Market analysts highlighted that geopolitical concerns, rollover-week dynamics, and macroeconomic uncertainty continued to weigh on investor sentiment. JS Global’s Head of Research, Waqas Ghani, noted, “Markets are pricing uncertainty. Investors sell first on heightened geopolitical risk and risk-off flows before macro data confirm the impact.”
Trading volume at the PSX declined to 461.2 million shares compared with last week’s 537.6 million. A total of 479 companies were traded, with 42 closing higher, 389 declining, and 48 remaining unchanged. K-Electric led volumes with 36 million shares traded, closing at Rs7.66.
In other news read more about PSX Slides Amid Geopolitical Tensions and Foreign Selling
Despite the sharp decline, analysts say the PSX remains sensitive to corporate earnings, IMF reviews, and regional developments. Investors are advised to monitor market trends closely and approach trading cautiously amid persistent volatility.
