KARACHI, August 15, 2025 – The benchmark KSE-100 index of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) closed lower on Friday, despite recording impressive intraday gains earlier in the session.
The KSE-100 index fell by 37 points, ending at 146,492 compared to the previous close of 146,529 on August 13, 2025. Trading was closed on August 14 for the Independence Day holiday.
According to market analysts at Topline Securities Limited, the KSE-100 index started the day on a bullish note, climbing as much as 1,005 points during early trade. Optimism was fueled by selective buying in key sectors, but the momentum faded in the latter part of the day as profit-taking set in ahead of the weekend. This cautious sentiment dragged the index into negative territory by the closing bell.
Top contributors to the upside included EFERT, LUCK, ENGROH, MEBL, and AIRLINK, collectively adding 512 points to the index. In contrast, selling pressure in OGDC, UBL, PPL, HUBC, and MARI shaved off 499 points, neutralizing much of the earlier advance.
In terms of traded value, AIRLINK led the board with PKR 3.38 billion, followed by OGDC (PKR 2.32 billion), PSO (PKR 1.53 billion), LUCK (PKR 1.30 billion), and NBP (PKR 1.11 billion). Overall, the session saw 472 million shares change hands, with a total traded value of PKR 32.86 billion.
Market watchers believe that the KSE-100 index may continue to experience short-term volatility, as investors weigh profit-taking opportunities against potential upside catalysts in the coming week.