PSX Closing Bell: The Fall Sets In

According to Mettis Global, the KSE-100 index ended Wednesday's session 0.81 per cent lower at 168,021.80, a drop of 1,370.52 points that erased the prior day's advance. Investors booked profits and cut positions in heavyweight stocks, with banks, fertilizer and cement counters bearing most of the pressure. Of the 100 index companies, 76 closed in the red while only 21 finished higher.

Intraday, the index moved within a 1,532.31 point range, peaking at 169,382.01 and dipping to a low of 167,849.70. Among the heaviest drags, FFC, NBP, ENGROH, HBL and LUCK cost the index 242.82, 169.17, 137.42, 96.56 and 77.16 points respectively. Partial offsets came from AICL, PSEL, UBL, FABL and GLAXO, which added 54.74, 50.33, 27.05, 25.25 and 15.00 points.

In the wider market, the All-Share Index closed at 101,556.93, down 689.83 points or 0.67 per cent, while traded value rose by Rs2.28 billion to Rs19.49 billion. Total volume fell to 356.14 million shares from 372.02 million, and 278,320 trades were recorded across 496 companies. The KSE-100 is still down 6.81 per cent for the fiscal year and 3.47 per cent so far this calendar year.