Karachi: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a sharp decline on Monday as the KMI-30 index closed deeply in the red, reflecting heavy selling pressure across key Shariah-compliant stocks. The index ended the session at 255,443.37 points, recording a steep fall of 3,765.05 points, or 1.45 percent, compared to the previous close.
According to official market data, the KMI-30 index opened the day at 258,621.54 points, which also remained the session’s highest level. However, persistent selling soon pushed the index lower, with the intraday low touching 255,261.32 points, before a modest recovery near the close.
Market participants remained cautious throughout the trading session as uncertainty over economic indicators and profit-taking in heavyweight stocks limited buying interest. Total index constituent volume stood at 167.24 million shares, indicating active participation despite the bearish tone.
From a year-to-date perspective, the index is still showing a strong FYTD gain of 38.16 percent, highlighting the broader upward trend witnessed during the current fiscal year. Meanwhile, the calendar year-to-date (CYTD) performance remains positive at 2.78 percent, suggesting that long-term investors continue to maintain confidence in Shariah-compliant equities.
Pullers and Draggers
On the positive side, MTL emerged as the top contributor, adding 34.13 points to the index. It was followed by DGKC, which contributed 15.67 points, while FFL added 7.90 points, offering limited support to the overall index.
However, the negative impact from major draggers outweighed these gains. SYS led the decliners with a massive negative contribution of 513.05 points, followed by MEBL at 469.20 points. ENGROH dragged the index down by 444.52 points, while LUCK and HUBC reduced the index by 306.55 and 296.21 points, respectively.
Analysts observed that institutional profit-taking in these heavyweight stocks significantly influenced the day’s performance.
Market Outlook
Experts believe the decline is part of a natural correction after recent strong rallies. They noted that investors are closely monitoring inflation trends, interest rate expectations, and upcoming corporate earnings.
Despite today’s decline, market sentiment remains cautiously optimistic due to strong fiscal-year gains and improving corporate fundamentals in several sectors, including cement, energy, and fertilizers.
Investors are advised to remain selective, focusing on fundamentally strong companies while keeping a close eye on global commodity prices and domestic policy developments.
PSX KMI-30 Index Falls 3,765 Points as Selling Pressure Dominates Market
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