The benchmark KSE-100 Index ended Monday’s trading session at 138,217.58, marking a decline of 379.78 points or 0.27%. The index saw significant fluctuations during the day, with an intraday high of 139,201.15 (+603.79) and a low of 138,149.56 (-447.80).
Trading volume on the KSE-100 Index reached 221.76 million shares. Ali Najib, Deputy Head of Trading at Arif Habib Limited, pointed out that the 135,000 level serves as initial support for the index, supported by strong corporate earnings and consistent foreign inflows. If breached, the index could potentially drift towards the 132,000 level, where investor sentiment may improve due to attractive valuations and expectations of monetary easing.
Of the 100 companies in the index, 43 closed in positive territory, while 55 closed in the red, and 2 remained unchanged. The top losers were YOUW (-3.54%), POML (-2.98%), and PKGP (-2.83%). On the upside, AGL (+9.46%), PABC (+5.47%), and UPFL (+4.03%) were among the top gainers.
In terms of index-point contributions, FFC (-197.83pts), UBL (-116.04pts), and OGDC (-45.29pts) were among the top decliners. Conversely, HBL (+92.98pts), EFERT (+33.35pts), and PABC (+25.65pts) added points to the index.
Sector-wise, the index was dragged down by Fertilizer (-144.50pts), Commercial Banks (-71.20pts), and Oil & Gas Exploration (-61.92pts), while sectors like Automobile Assembler (+33.61pts) and Pharmaceuticals (+27.90pts) provided support.
Last week, the PSX closed on a historic high with a gain of 3.2%, but Monday’s session showed more volatility, reflecting mixed market sentiment.
