Bulls lose grip as profit-taking cools rally at PSX

KARACHI: After a strong opening, the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) lost momentum on Wednesday as profit-taking set in, pulling the benchmark KSE-100 Index into negative territory by the close.

The session opened on a positive note, with the KSE-100 Index surging to an intraday high of 886 points.

However, the gains were short-lived as bears gradually took control, dragging the index to an intraday low of 587 points before settling at 146,529 — down by 476 points or 0.32%.

Market Snapshot – August 13, 2025

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— PSX (@pakstockexgltd) August 13, 2025

Topline Securities described the downturn as a move reflecting not a deep bearish shift, but rather a mild spell of profit-taking following the recent rally.

Ismail Iqbal Securities noted that the benchmark index closed on a negative note, opening on an optimistic tone but gradually shedding points as the session progressed, largely attributed to profit taking.

Today, the KSE-100 index lost 476 points to close at 146,529 level, down by -0.32% DoD.

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Fertilizer, Oil & Gas Exploration Companies, and Oil & Gas Marketing Companies sectors were the major laggards in today’s session, cumulatively shedding 516 points from the index.

Concerns linger as the government reported over Rs6 trillion in losses from state-owned enterprises.

Pakistan Stock Exchange – Key Statistics pic.twitter.com/s3aaNuslip

— Topline Securities Ltd (@toplinesec) August 13, 2025

However, Moody’s upgraded Pakistan’s local and foreign currency ratings to Caa1 from Caa2. Meanwhile, an IMF team is scheduled to visit Pakistan next month to review the country’s economic performance for the release of a USD 1.0 billion tranche, which supported market sentiments, Al Habib Capital said.

Positive momentum in LUCK, HBL, and MEBL provided a combined uplift of 269 points, offering partial reprieve against broader market weakness.

In contrast, significant downward pressure stemmed from FFC, EFERT, PPL, MCB, and HMB, which together shaved off 488 points from the benchmark.

Investor participation remained robust, with total traded volume reaching 645 million shares, corresponding to a turnover of Rs40 billion.

YOUW emerged as the volume leader, with an impressive 51.8million shares changing hands.

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