KSE-100 drops 1,437 points after choppy session at PSX

Index hits 157,080 high and 153,504 low in wide trading range

KARACHI:

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) ended Thursday’s volatile trading session in the red, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index falling 1,437 points, or 0.92%, to settle at 154,421.

The market witnessed choppy movements throughout the session, reflecting cautious investor sentiment and intermittent profit-taking.

“During the session, the market experienced notable fluctuations, with the index moving within a 3,577-point range,” said Ali Najib, deputy head of trading at Arif Habib Limited.

The index recorded an intra-day high of 157,080, up 1,222 points or 0.78%, and an intra-day low of 153,504, down 2,355 points or 1.51%.

On the sectoral front, energy production showed encouraging momentum. Gas output increased 11.8% week-on-week to 3,005 mmcfd in the first week of March 2026, while oil production rose 6.1% week-on-week to 62,714 barrels per day.

The improvement was primarily driven by reduced curtailment in northern fields alongside stronger demand from the power sector.

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From a geopolitical perspective, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia for high-level discussions with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, focusing on regional tensions, the evolving security landscape and strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.

Among index movers, Engro Holdings, Systems Limited, Service Industries, Engro Fertilizers and Hinoon Laboratories collectively added 745 points to the benchmark.

Conversely, United Bank Limited, Lucky Cement, Oil and Gas Development Company, Hub Power Company and MCB Bank acted as major drags, erasing 972 points amid profit-taking in heavyweight stocks.

Market participation remained relatively subdued, with total traded volume recorded at 401.8 million shares, while turnover stood at Rs24.6 billion.

Hascol Petroleum emerged as the volume leader, with 38.3 million shares traded during the session.

As the market heads into the final trading session of the week, momentum will largely depend on the stability of geopolitical developments.

If external conditions remain calm, the recent positive undertone could support a modest recovery. However, investors are likely to maintain a cautious stance, closely monitoring global cues and political developments before taking fresh positions.