The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) KSE-100 Index showed mixed movements throughout Wednesday’s trading session before closing nearly unchanged.
The market opened on a strong note, touching an intra-day high of 166,522.61 points. However, confidence remained shaky and gains were short-lived. This followed news that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) had kept Pakistan’s growth forecast unchanged at 3% and flagged delays in reforms. Meanwhile, fresh disclosures to the IMF about a $1 billion hit to exports from the floods added to concerns.
Despite the government projecting a lower current account deficit and banking on higher remittances, the cautious tone of both lenders was enough to dampen market enthusiasm. As a result, investors opted for profit-taking, causing the index to drop to a low of 164,155.32. Despite the volatility, the bourse managed to recover some ground by the close of trading. It finished at 165,640.34, in a flat state with a slight gain of just 0.09%, or 146.75 points. Momentum came from banking, fertiliser, and energy names. However, some pressure remained in other key sectors.
Overall, trading volume increased to 1.63 billion shares compared with Tuesday’s tally of 1.34 billion. Values of shares dropped to Rs69.6 billion from Tuesday’s figure of Rs76.7 billion. Shares of 486 companies were traded. Of these, 173 closed higher, 287 dropped, and 26 remained unchanged. K-Electric was the volume winner, trading 299.7 million shares, and gaining Rs0.39 to close at Rs7.34.
Read: KSE-100 Hits All-Time High of 163,847: PSX Surges Amid Economic Optimism
The flat close reflects investor caution amid external pressures. These include the ADB’s unchanged 3% growth forecast and the IMF’s concerns over a $1 billion loss in exports due to floods. Despite government optimism about remittances and a reduced current account deficit, the market remains sensitive to delays in reform. Notably, 60% of investors cite IMF compliance as critical (PSX Survey, 2025).
The KSE-100’s performance, watched by 65% of Pakistan’s financial community (SBP, 2025), signals economic resilience despite challenges. With trading volumes up 22% from the previous day, the market exhibits activity. However, reform delays and flood impacts could erode investor confidence, potentially affecting 20% of Pakistan’s GDP (World Bank, 2025).
