KSE-100 Index closes flat amid profit-taking after hitting new intraday high

KARACHI: Pakistan Stock Exchange’s (PSX) benchmark KSE-100 Index extended its upward trajectory during the week, climbing to new all-time highs on the back of sustained investor optimism.

The Index opened on a positive note and gained to make an intraday high of +1,920 points (+1.38%) on buying by local institutions, however profit taking was observed in the second half of trading session as investors came in to book their profit before the weekend.

This momentum was primarily driven by strong corporate earnings expectations and continued strengthening of key macroeconomic indicators, Pearl Securities stated.

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The benchmark KSE-100 closed on a relatively flat note on Friday. It started on an optimistic tone, breaching the 140,000 barrier intraday to mark a new all time high; however, profit taking in the latter half of the session erased earlier gains, Ismail Iqbal Securities said.

The Oil & Gas Exploration Companies, Cement, and Technology & Communication sectors were the major laggards in today’s session cumulatively shedding 381 points from the index.

Pakistan Stocks closed flat on institutional profit taking in over bought scrips amid foreign outflows and worries over outcome of trade bodies strike call on budgetary measures on corporates and FBR powers, Ahsan Mehanti, CEO at Arif Habib Commodities said.

Reports of $23bn external debt repayments due in FY26, and rupee instability played catalyst role in bearish activity at PSX, Mehanti added.

Top positive contribution to the index came from FFC, UBL, ENGROH, PSEL, PABC & EFERT, as they cumulatively contributed +1,052 points to the index. On the other hand SYS, MEBL, HUBC, NBP and MARI, lost value to weigh down on the index by -345 points to the index.

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Traded value wise FFC (PKR 3.2bn), LUCK (PKR 1.9bn), ENGROH (PKR 1.37bn), AKBL (PKR 1.33bn), ATRL (PKR 1.16bn) and UBL (PKR 1.03bn) dominated the trading activity.

Traded value and volume for the day stood at 608mn shares and PKR 31.6bn respectively.