Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a dramatic turnaround on Friday as strong early gains gave way to heavy selling, pushing the benchmark KSE-100 Index deep into negative territory by midday.
The market started the final trading session of the week on a positive note, extending the momentum seen a day earlier. Investors initially remained upbeat, helping the benchmark index climb to an intraday high of 182,185.87 points. At around 10:14am, the KSE-100 was up 787.66 points at 182,185.87, while trading volume stood at more than 108 million shares.
However, the positive trend proved short-lived.
Selling pressure gradually intensified, erasing the gains and dragging the market into the red. By 11:38am, the benchmark index had fallen 1,724.33 points to 179,673.88, with volume rising to over 243 million shares.
The decline deepened further as the session progressed. By 12:03pm, the KSE-100 Index was trading at 178,539.46, down 2,858.75 points, or 1.58 percent, from the previous close of 181,398.21. Total traded volume had reached nearly 284 million shares.
The sharp reversal highlighted the volatility that dominated the session, with the market moving between an intraday high of 182,185.87 and a low of 178,489.02. Despite Friday’s losses, the benchmark index remained up 48.78 percent compared with the same period last year and had gained 2.58 percent since the start of 2026.
Among the most actively traded stocks were Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC), Kohinoor Spinning Mills (KOSM), LOTTE Chemical Pakistan, K-Electric, The Bank of Punjab and TPL Properties.
On the gaining side, stocks including GCWL Rights, Kohinoor Mills Limited, Quice Food Industries, First Fidelity Leasing Modaraba and Berger Paints posted strong advances. Meanwhile, Gemmell Industries, Service Industries Textile, First IBL Modaraba, Salman Noman Enterprises and Frontier Ceramics remained among the session’s biggest losers.
Previous session
The market entered Friday’s session after a strong performance on Thursday, when the KSE-100 Index rose 887.19 points, or 0.49 percent, to close at 181,398.21.
During Thursday’s trade, the benchmark remained in positive territory throughout the day, touching an intraday high of 181,869.33 points. Trading activity was also robust, with more than 445 million shares changing hands in KSE-100 index companies.
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