The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) traded under pressure on Wednesday, with the benchmark KSE-100 index falling over 500 points by midday. The market showed a weak and uncertain trend as investors reacted to rising geopolitical tensions. The decline reflects cautious sentiment and reduced trading confidence.
The index opened on a negative note and remained volatile throughout the session. Early fluctuations saw brief recovery before renewed selling pressure pushed the market lower again. Investors largely adopted a wait-and-see approach amid external uncertainties.
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Market sentiment remained fragile due to concerns over US-Iran geopolitical developments and potential diplomatic shifts. Although a $1 billion Saudi deposit provided some support, it was not enough to stabilise the market. Consequently, profit-taking dominated key sectors.
Heavy selling was seen in automobile assemblers, cement, banking, oil and gas exploration, oil marketing companies, power generation, and refinery stocks. The index moved between an intra-day high of 173,452 and a low of 171,841. Trading activity remained cautious with subdued participation.
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At 12:50pm, the KSE-100 stood at 172,649, down 506 points or 0.34 percent. Total trading volume reached 184.9 million shares, while turnover stood at Rs15.23 billion. Analysts expect volatility to continue in the near term amid global uncertainty.