The Pakistan Stock Exchange remained under strong pressure on Thursday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index falling deeper into negative territory as selling intensified during the afternoon session.
The market had opened in green but quickly turned red within minutes. Early gains faded as investors turned cautious, triggering broad based selling across major sectors. Losses continued to build through the day, dragging the benchmark sharply lower.
By 1:24pm on February 19, the KSE-100 Index had dropped to 171,707.57, showing a decline of 7,145.52 points or 4.00 percent. Trading activity also picked up, with total volume reaching 192.39 million shares.
Market hits fresh intraday low
The market recorded its highest level of the day at 179,279.74 in early trading, but persistent selling later pushed it to a fresh intraday low of 171,707.57. The day’s trading range so far has remained between these two levels.
Despite the sharp fall during the session, the longer term trend still shows gains. The market is up 51.49 percent over the past year. However, on a year to date basis, the index is now down 1.35 percent. The previous closing level stood at 178,853.09.
Selling pressure has been seen across key sectors including cement, commercial banks, fertiliser, oil and gas exploration, oil marketing companies, power generation and refining. Several heavyweight stocks remained under pressure, keeping the benchmark index in negative territory.
The 52 week range of the KSE-100 Index stands between 101,598.91 and 191,032.73, reflecting the market’s broader movement over the past year. Investors are expected to watch the remaining session closely for signs of stability after the sharp intraday slide.
