ISLAMABAD (PEN) : After a strong performance in the previous session, the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) saw a subdued trading session on Thursday, with the KSE-100 Index ending on a flat note. The benchmark index closed at 117,806.74, marking a slight gain of 34.43 points, or 0.03%, compared to the previous day’s close.
Key Sectors See Mixed Activity
During today’s session, there was some buying activity in major sectors, notably in automobile assemblers, power generation, and oil and gas exploration companies. Key stocks such as HUBCO, PSO, POL, MCB,MEBL, and UBL saw positive movement, contributing to the modest gains in the index.
Despite this, overall trading remained lackluster, with volumes staying relatively low. The total value of shares traded decreased significantly, closing at Rs 19.78 billion, down from Rs 37.49 billion in the previous session. Similarly, total volume dropped to 329.99 million shares, from 356.73 million* recorded the day before.
Global Markets Impact Sentiment
While the PSX showed flat movement, global markets experienced volatility. Asian shares saw a decline, influenced by the global concerns over new tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump on automotive imports. The Japanese Nikkei index dropped by 1.2%, with losses mainly driven by major automotive stocks. The ripple effects were felt in other Asian markets, with South Korea’s KOSPI also falling by 0.7%.
In contrast, Wall Street closed sharply lower, with tech-heavy Nasdaq experiencing a slump of more than 2% due to tariff fears. These global developments seemed to have limited impact on local market sentiment, with domestic factors holding more sway in the trading activity.
Sectoral Performance and Trading Leaders
Among the notable stocks, *Cnergyico PK* emerged as the volume leader with *45.5 million shares* traded, followed by *Arif Habib Corp* with *20.57 million shares* and *WorldCall Telecom* at *16.23 million shares*.
Of the *447 companies* traded today, *169* registered gains, while *216* recorded declines, and *62* remained unchanged.
Looking Ahead
Despite today’s relatively flat performance, investor sentiment remains cautiously optimistic following Pakistan’s successful staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). As markets continue to digest the implications of these global developments and domestic policy measures, attention will turn to upcoming sessions for signs of further market direction.
The ongoing fluctuations in the market reflect investor caution as global economic conditions remain volatile, particularly with the impending tariff changes and their potential impact on global trade dynamics.
