KARACHI – The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) recorded its third straight decline on Wednesday as low investor confidence and rollover pressures weighed on the market. The KSE-100 index dropped 1,632.25 points, or 0.98%, closing at 164,626.29 amid broad-based selling.
Trading opened on a tentative note, with the PSX briefly climbing to an intra-day high of 168,191.65. Early gains were short-lived as investors reduced positions, and selling pressure intensified through the late morning. By midday, the index hit an intra-day low of 164,229.36, reflecting weakness across major sectors including banks, cement, oil & gas, and industrial stocks.
Market analysts attributed the downturn to rollover-related adjustments and a cautious risk appetite among investors. Topline Securities noted that futures rollover dynamics continued to influence market sentiment, keeping the PSX within a narrow and volatile trading range.
Key index-heavy stocks such as United Bank, Engro Holdings, Pakistan Petroleum, Lucky Cement, and DG Khan Cement emerged as the largest contributors to the decline, collectively shaving off 928 points from the benchmark index. Their poor performance highlighted persistent sectoral vulnerabilities and investor hesitation.
Overall, shares of 483 companies were traded on Wednesday. Of these, 143 stocks ended higher, 278 declined, and 62 remained unchanged. K-Electric led trading activity with 99.8 million shares, closing slightly higher at Rs7.71, up Rs0.14.
Despite the current downturn, analysts say the PSX may stabilize if investor sentiment improves and rollover pressures ease. However, continued caution is expected as market participants monitor upcoming corporate earnings, macroeconomic indicators, and global financial trends.
In other news read more about PSX Ends Sharply Lower Amid Volatility and Selling Pressure
The PSX continues to reflect broader economic challenges in Pakistan, including inflationary pressures and currency fluctuations, which impact investor confidence. Experts advise investors to remain cautious and follow a disciplined approach while navigating the volatile trading environment.
