PSX: Selling returns, KSE-100 down over 1%

The KSE-100 index of the Pakistan Stock Exchange ended Thursday's session 1.01 per cent lower at 170,498.94, a decline of 1,733.57 points, according to Business Recorder. Having reached an intraday peak of 172,491.16 in the morning, the index gave up its gains as sellers dominated the second half of trading. It slipped to an intraday low of 170,418.38 in the final hour before recovering slightly into the close.

Topline Securities attributed the retreat to investors locking in profits after three straight sessions of gains, with the decline spreading widely across the market. The brokerage also described sentiment as fragile and cautious, pointing to Middle East tensions and Brent crude above US$100 per barrel. Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly 2026, the same day an IMF mission began talks on the next review of the $7-billion Extended Fund Facility.

Trading volume on the all-share index eased to 759.97 million shares from 773.59 million, while the value of shares traded went up to Rs27.54 billion, compared with Rs26.45 billion a session earlier. Among the most active stocks, Cnergyico PK recorded the highest volume at 158.26 million shares, while K-Electric Ltd. traded 71.89 million shares. Of the 495 companies traded, 101 advanced, 358 declined and 36 finished unchanged.