Karachi, July 24, 2025 – The KSE-100 index of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) experienced a sharp drop of 562 points on Thursday amid a highly volatile trading session.
After a series of strong gains in recent days, the market witnessed profit-taking as investors moved to secure returns ahead of the rollover week’s close.
The KSE-100 index settled at 138,692 points, down from the previous day’s close of 139,254, marking a decline of 0.40%. According to Maaz Mulla, Vice President of Equity Sales at Topline Securities, the downturn was primarily due to investors locking in gains after a bullish stretch, combined with caution induced by the rollover period.
Throughout the day, the market remained volatile, fluctuating between an intraday high of 613 points and a low of 561 points. This tug-of-war between bullish sentiment and cautious profit-booking led to significant choppiness across sectors. Analysts expect this volatile pattern to continue in the coming days, with selective interest shaping the short-term outlook.
Major negative contributors to the index included FFC, HBL, ENGROH, MARI, and EFERT, collectively dragging it down by 506 points. However, HUBC, MCB, and SYS provided partial relief by contributing a combined 204 points to the upside.
Despite the negative close, market activity remained vibrant. Trading volumes reached an impressive 646 million shares, while the total turnover stood at Rs. 28 billion. The Bank of Punjab (BOP) led the volume chart, with 113 million shares changing hands.
Market observers note that while the KSE-100 index remains vulnerable to short-term swings, its underlying strength could resurface once the current volatile phase subsides and clarity emerges on macroeconomic indicators.