KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) remained highly volatile on Wednesday due to panic selling, as tensions between India and Pakistan escalated following Indian airstrikes.
The benchmark KSE-100 Index fell sharply by 3,559.48 points, or 3.13 percent, closing at 110,009 points on Wednesday compared to 113,568.51 points on Tuesday. The market was opened on a negative note with 6,560 points decline in the index and was remain in red zone in the entire session.
On Wednesday, BRIndex100 lost 430.68 points to closed at 11,679.59 points with a total volume of 469.669 million shares. BRIndex30 declined by 1,768.15 to settle at 33,570.81 points with a total volume of 341.388 million shares.
Analysts at Topline Research said that the benchmark index saw significant volatility, dropping by 6,561 points in early trade amid broad-based panic selling following an overnight military clash between Pakistan and India. However, the market regained some ground after the initial shock. Investors remain cautiously optimistic, expecting stability if tensions do not escalate further. The index eventually down 3,559 points, or 3.13 percent.
Similarly, the total traded value on the ready counter surged to Rs 30 billion compared to Rs 23.69 billion in the previous session. The market capitalization decreased by Rs 429 billion to Rs 13.345 trillion. Out of 447 active scrips, 49 closed in positive and 356 in negative while the value of 42 stocks remained unchanged.
WorldCall Telecom was the volume leader with 53.6 million shares and closed at Rs 1.22 followed by B.O.Punjab that closed at Rs 9.18 with 35.77 million shares. Sui South Gas ranked third with share trading of 26.7 million shares and it closed at Rs 32.47.
PIA Holding Company LimitedB and Unilever Pakistan Foods Limited the top gainers increasing by Rs 581.16 and Rs 240.55 respectively to close at Rs 6,392.75 and Rs 22,531.29, while Rafhan Maize Products Company Limited and Hoechst Pakistan Limited were the top losers declining by Rs 150.56 and Rs 109.41respectively to close at Rs 8,824.44 and Rs 3,185.00.
Ahsan Mehanti of Arif Habib Corp stocks closed sharply lower amid escalation in border tensions between Pak-India and security unrest after Indian strikes. Weak rupee, uncertain economic outlook amid Pak-India conflict over trade ties played catalytic role in bearish close, he added.
BR Automobile Assembler Index closed at 21,411.60 points, down 849.80 points or 3.82 percent, with a turnover of 8.02 million shares.BR Cement Index ended at 9,144.33 points, losing 377.28 points or 3.96 percent, and recorded a turnover of 72.19 million shares.
BR Commercial Banks Index settled at 32,285.03 points, declining by 836.45 points or 2.53 percent, with 58.54 million shares traded.BR Power Generation & Distribution Index closed at 18,319.88 points, dropping 738.95 points or 3.88 percent, with a turnover of 34.41 million shares.
BR Oil & Gas Index finished at 10,694.16 points, down 398.04 points or 3.59 percent, with a turnover of 75.39 million shares. BR Technology & Communication Index declined by 284.15 points or 5.85 percent to close at 4,572.89 points, with a turnover of 88.69 million shares.
According to Topline Research, the downward trajectory of the index was largely driven by negative contributions from key stocks such as LUCK, HUBC, UBL, SYS, and ENGROH, which collectively dragged the index down by 967 points.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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