Shares. Photograph: file
KARACHI:
Shares closed decrease on Friday as late-session profit-taking erased early features, pushing the benchmark KSE-100 index down by round 1,130 factors to 184,410.
Market individuals initially maintained a optimistic stance throughout morning commerce; nonetheless, promoting stress intensified within the latter half as buyers selected to lock in features forward of the weekend, leading to one other damaging shut for CY26.
On the finish of buying and selling, the benchmark KSE-100 index posted a decline of 1,133.34 factors, or 0.61%, and settled at 184,409.67.
“Market sentiment stayed optimistic in the course of the morning session; nonetheless, profit-taking and promoting stress dominated the latter half, forcing the benchmark index to register one other damaging shut for CY26,” stated Ali Najib, Deputy Head of Buying and selling at Arif Habib Ltd (AHL).
AHL famous that the KSE-100 index underwent additional consolidation inside the 184,000-185,000 help zone and concluded a risky week by which the benchmark managed to publish a weekly achieve of round 3%.
Friday’s session mirrored selective shopping for, with 69 shares advancing towards 30 decliners. Fauji Fertiliser Firm (+0.42%), Adamjee Insurance coverage (+4.17%) and MCB Financial institution (+0.69%) contributed probably the most to index features. Nevertheless, the upside momentum was capped by heavyweight stress, with Hubco (-2.02%), Fortunate Cement (-1.88%) and Engro Holdings (-1.07%) rising as the largest drags on the index.
On the macro entrance, sentiment drew help from exterior inflows, as Pakistan’s abroad remittances rose 16.5% year-on-year in December to $3.6 billion, which strengthened optimism round international alternate stability.
Within the broader regional context, an evaluation from the S&P World Market Intelligence highlighted that smaller Pakistani banks delivered a few of the strongest whole shareholder returns throughout the Asia-Pacific area in 2025, supported by a pointy rally in native equities and bettering macroeconomic indicators.
Trying forward, market individuals count on the 184,000-185,000 degree to stay a key help zone, with the potential for the index to renew its upward trajectory in the direction of 188,000-190,000 within the coming week. Nevertheless, the first threat to the bullish outlook stays geopolitical developments within the Center East, which might set off volatility and renewed threat aversion.
Topline’s market assessment stated that the KSE 100 index largely traded within the damaging zone and closed at 184,410 (down by 0.61%), as buyers most popular to guide revenue earlier than the weekend. The highest damaging contribution to the index got here from Hubco, Fortunate Cement, Engro Holdings, NBP, Engro Fertilisers and OGDC, which erased 596 factors.
Traded value-wise, FFC (Rs2.14 billion), Pakistan Petroleum (Rs1.88 billion), Pak Elektron (Rs1.83 billion), Fauji Meals (Rs1.68 billion), NBP (Rs1.67 billion) and Techniques Ltd (Rs1.64 billion) dominated the exercise.
“Revenue-taking continued on the PSX, the place the benchmark index closed down by 1,133 factors at 184,410,” famous Nawaz Ali of JS World.
The index fell to the intra-day low of 183,701, marking a decline of 1,842 factors. Broad-based promoting stress was noticed throughout most sectors. Main contributors to the decline included Hubco, Fortunate Cement, Engro Holdings, NBP and Engro Fertilisers, which collectively shaved 530 factors off the index.
“Going ahead, we suggest buyers to capitalise on engaging valuations and selectively construct positions at decrease ranges,” he stated.
Total buying and selling quantity was recorded at 1.03 billion shares in contrast with the earlier tally of 1.43 billion. The worth of shares traded in the course of the day was Rs52.9 billion.
Shares of 483 firms had been traded. Of those, 162 shares closed greater, 271 fell and 50 remained unchanged.
Fauji Meals was the amount chief with buying and selling in 75.8 million shares, gaining Rs0.87 to shut at Rs22.02. It was adopted by Hascol Petroleum with 68.3 million shares, gaining Rs0.03 to shut at Rs20.18 and Media Occasions with 56.2 million shares, gaining Rs0.80 to shut at Rs7.61.
Overseas buyers offered shares price Rs8.8 billion, the Nationwide Clearing Firm reported.
