The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a modest gain of 52 points on Monday, with the benchmark KSE-100 index closing at 40,784 points, up from the previous day’s close of 40,732 points. The day’s trading was characterized by a range-bound session, with the index fluctuating between a high of +212 points and a low of -135 points.
Market Performance and Sector Contributions
According to analysts at Arif Habib Limited, the market remained relatively muted, reflecting cautious investor sentiment. Despite the narrow movement, sectors like banking, fertilizer, and off-board scrips played a significant role in contributing to the day’s overall activity. The banking sector, in particular, saw price gains in key stocks such as HBL and MCB.
The positivity in U.S. futures overnight, along with gains in regional markets, provided some support to investors’ outlook, although the overall market sentiment remained subdued. Among the most active stocks, POWER topped the volume chart with 36.5 million shares traded, followed by TRG (31.9 million shares) and PAEL (19.2 million shares).
Key Sectoral Contributions
Several sectors contributed positively to the index’s performance, including:
• Banks (+40 points)
• Technology (+40 points)
• Pharmaceuticals (+26 points)
• Chemicals (+18 points)
• Fertilizer (+15 points)
However, overall trading volumes declined by 21% compared to the previous session, falling from 350.4 million shares to 276.8 million shares. The average traded value also dropped 17%, reaching USD 59.9 million, down from USD 72.5 million.
Top Performing Stocks
The stocks that contributed the most to the day’s positive performance include:
• HBL (+40 points)
• TRG (+37 points)
• MCB (+24 points)
• COLG (+22 points)
• GLAXO (+13 points)
Stocks Dragging the Market
Some stocks weighed negatively on the index, with notable decliners including:
• LUCK (-21 points)
• NBP (-10 points)
• PPL (-8 points)
• OGDC (-8 points)
• EFUG (-6 points)
Despite the range-bound trading and decline in volumes, the KSE-100 index remained resilient, supported by gains in the banking and technology sectors.