PSX Ends Lower as Selling Pressure Overwhelms Early Gains
KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) experienced a volatile trading session on Tuesday,closing lower after a positive start as investors reacted to a lack of positive economic news and opted to secure profits.
The benchmark KSE-100 index ultimately finished at 160,935.13, a decrease of 752.05 points, or 0.47 percent. The day saw meaningful swings, with the index initially rising to an intraday high before succumbing to selling pressure and falling to a low of 160,584, according to Arif Habib Ltd’s Deputy Head of Trading, Ali Najib, who noted the persistent selling pressure reversed early bullish momentum.
Topline Securities Ltd reported a “tug of war” between buyers and sellers, with the index fluctuating by 657 points upwards and 1,103 points downwards throughout the day.
A lack of fresh positive catalysts prompted investors to trim positions and book profits, maintaining a cautious sentiment throughout the session. This profit-taking has been a trend since the beginning of the week. Contributing to the downward pressure were stocks like Engro Holdings, Meezan Bank, Bank Al-Habib, and United Bank, which collectively pulled the index down by 360 points.
However, some index-heavy stocks bucked the trend, with Pioneer Cement, Pakistan Oilfield, Pakistan Services, DG Khan Cement, and Pakistan Telecommunication Company contributing a combined 206 points to the benchmark.
Despite the bearish close, market activity increased significantly. Trading volume rose by 27.29 percent to 1.54 billion shares, while the traded value decreased by 6.09 percent to Rs38.8 billion. worldcall telecom dominated volume charts,with 459 million shares changing hands.
Analysts suggest that momentum at the PSX is weakening, with selling pressure consistently appearing at intraday highs, pushing the KSE-100 index back towards the 160,000 level. The broader market mirrored the negative sentiment seen in international markets.
Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2025
