KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange closed modestly higher on Thursday as the KSE-100 index gained 276.16 points, or 0.16 per cent, to settle at 169,703.6, compared with the previous close of 169,427.44. The market remained directionless, as investors remained cautious of the geopolitical situation.
The index touched an intraday high of 170,138.19 and a low of 168,682.25 during the session. The KSE-30 index rose 133.49 points to close at 50,591.33.Ali Najib, deputy head of trading at Arif Habib Ltd, said the PSX witnessed a consolidation session, as the benchmark continued to hover around the key 170k level. Investor sentiment remained mixed amid persistent uncertainty surrounding US-Iran tensions. With no decisive developments on the geopolitical front, market momentum remained directionless as investors awaited greater clarity before taking fresh positions.
“Going forward, market is likely to remain range-bound in the near term, with investor sentiment closely tied to developments on the US-Iran front and upcoming budget-related announcements. Any improvement in geopolitical visibility could help revive risk appetite and provide direction to the market,” he said.
Ready market turnover stood at 771.93 million shares from 791.64 million shares in the previous session. Traded value rose to Rs27.05 billion from Rs25.48 billion, while market capitalisation edged up to Rs18.88 trillion from Rs18.85 trillion.
Market breadth was negative, with 190 stocks advancing against 250 declining and 47 unchanged.Among the top gainers, Sapphire Fibres Limited surged Rs100.22 to close at Rs1,102.46, while Tandlianwala Sugar Mills Limited added Rs46.64 to close at Rs513.04. On the downside, Khyber Textile Mills Limited shed Rs50.36 to close at Rs1,464.21, and Blessed Textiles Limited declined Rs43.19 to close at Rs1,129.29.
According to Topline Sales Desk, the benchmark KSE-100 Index concluded the trading session on a buoyant note, a modest yet encouraging recovery amid an otherwise turbulent week dominated by geopolitical headwinds.
On the index contribution front, index heavyweights MEBL, MARI, ENGROH, UBL and POL emerged as the primary drivers of upside momentum, collectively contributing 315 points to the benchmark's gain, underscoring sustained institutional interest in blue-chip names across the energy and banking sectors.
F Nat Equities led turnover with 118.36 million shares, gaining 4 paisas to close at Rs1.35, followed by Sitara Petroleum with 53.70 million shares, rising Rs1.97 to close at Rs21.66. Other most-traded stocks were Maple Leaf, Loads Limited, TPL REIT Fund I, TPL Corp Ltd, Kohinoor Spinning, TPL Properties, WorldCall Telecom and At-Tahur Ltd.In the futures market, 310 contracts were traded, with 116 increasing in value, 188 declining and 6 unchanged.
