The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) experienced a volatile session on Tuesday, with the benchmark KSE-100 index struggling to maintain early gains due to renewed macroeconomic concerns. The market opened positively, briefly peaking at 169,289.20, but the upward momentum quickly faded, and profit-taking in the final hours pushed the index into negative territory.
By the close, the KSE-100 had fallen to 167,642.28, down 419.92 points or 0.25%, marking an intra-day low of 167,445.93 as investor sentiment remained cautious. The decline came after fresh data revealed Pakistan’s trade deficit widened to $2.9 billion in November 2025, which weighed heavily on market confidence.
KTrade Securities noted in its post-market analysis that profit-taking was evident in the second half of the session after a recent rally, leading to the 419-point decline. The decline was driven by pressure on stocks like Fauji Fertiliser, Hub Power, Pakistan Petroleum, Engro Corporation, Systems Limited, and Oil & Gas Development Company.
In contrast, Lucky Cement, National Bank of Pakistan, Bestway Cement, and Faysal Bank saw positive performance during the session. Market participation remained robust, with a total of 722 million shares traded.
Trading volume increased to 775.5 million shares compared to 735.5 million on Monday, with Rs37.4 billion worth of shares changing hands. Of the 479 companies traded, 182 advanced, 254 declined, and 43 remained unchanged. WorldCall Telecom led the volume chart, with 169 million shares traded, closing at Rs1.80 after shedding Rs0.04.
Looking ahead, KTrade expects sentiment to remain cautiously optimistic, with attention turning to the upcoming IMF board meeting on December 8 and the anticipated tranche release. Additionally, regional geopolitical developments could influence market momentum in the near term.
