Karachi, July 15, 2025 – The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) experienced a turbulent session on Tuesday as the benchmark KSE-100 index shed 563 points, primarily due to heavy last-hour profit taking by investors.
After soaring to an all-time high earlier in the day, the market saw a sharp reversal in momentum as traders moved to lock in recent gains.
The KSE-100 index opened the day on a strong footing, building on the previous day’s bullish trend. Backed by aggressive institutional buying, particularly in banking and blue-chip stocks, the index surged by as much as 1,245 points during intraday trade. Optimism around improving macroeconomic indicators and foreign exchange reserves initially drove the rally.
However, the upbeat sentiment began to fade by midday as cautious investors shifted to profit booking, triggering a broad-based sell-off across key sectors. The index witnessed a sharp swing, hitting an intraday low of 135,393 points before recovering slightly to close at 135,940 — down 563 points from Monday’s closing of 136,503.
According to analysts at Topline Securities Limited, the session reflected a typical push-and-pull dynamic between bullish momentum and profit realization. While initial gains were driven by positive sentiment, the temptation to capitalize on recent highs ultimately led to a market-wide cooldown.
In terms of performance, top contributors to the KSE-100 index included UBL, FFC, ABL, PSEL, and ENGROH. These stocks collectively added 564 points, showcasing strong investor confidence in select sectors. However, the gains were offset by pressure from MEBL, PPL, HUBC, and OGDC, which collectively pulled the index down by around 350 points.
Despite the downward close, market participation remained strong. Total trading volume stood at 877 million shares, with a notable turnover of Rs. 38.57 billion. Bank of Punjab (BOP) emerged as the volume leader, with 61.3 million shares traded — underlining the market’s continued depth and liquidity.
While the KSE-100 index ended the day in negative territory, analysts believe that overall market sentiment remains positive in the medium term, supported by improving economic fundamentals and corporate earnings outlooks.