Trading at the Pakistan Stock Exchange turned volatile on Wednesday as early optimism faded and investors booked profits after a strong multi-session rally.
The benchmark KSE-100 index opened firmly and surged to an intraday high of 175,232.90. The move briefly pushed the index above the historic 175,000-point mark for the first time. Momentum, however, weakened as the session progressed. Investors locked in gains, which triggered a steady pullback from the day’s peak.
Selling pressure intensified across the broader market, dragging the index to an intraday low of 173,564.33. Heavyweight sectors, including automobile assemblers, commercial banks, power generation companies, and refineries, led the decline and weighed on sentiment.
By the close, the KSE-100 ended in negative territory. The index lost 418.47 points, or 0.24 per cent, to settle at 174,054.32.
Market Snapshot – December 31st, 2025
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Here’s what’s making waves:
• ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds): Most active in today’s market
Market Indices – At a Glance:
• KSE-100: Pullers & Draggers
• KMI-30: Pullers & Draggers pic.twitter.com/nswxFFs4aX
— PSX (@pakstockexgltd) December 31, 2025Despite the day’s correction, analysts remain constructive on the market’s medium- to long-term outlook. According to Arif Habib Limited, the KSE-100 ranked as the second-best performing frontier market in CY25, delivering a robust return of 51 per cent and closing the year near record levels.
This performance extended a three-year streak of strong gains. The index rose 55 per cent in CY23 and an exceptional 84 per cent in CY24. Over the past three years, it has generated an average annual return of 64 per cent, placing Pakistan among the top-performing equity markets globally. In dollar terms, cumulative returns reached 249 per cent over the same period, the report noted.
Market participation remained healthy. Total traded volume increased to 957.2 million shares from 851 million a day earlier. The value of traded shares stood at Rs. 44.2 billion. Shares of 481 companies changed hands, with 221 closing higher, 223 declining, and 37 ending unchanged. K-Electric led volumes, with 95.9 million shares traded, closing up Rs0.21 at Rs5.93.
