Pakistan Market Wrap: Bulls Lose Steam as Profit-Taking Dominates the Session – By HMFS Research
Oct 23 2025
HMFS Research
- The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) opened on a positive note, with the benchmark KSE-100 index gaining a modest 167 points in early trade. However, the initial momentum proved short-lived as profit-taking set in, pushing the index deep into the red zone. The market touched an intraday low of 2,158 points, reflecting investor caution ahead of the upcoming corporate results season. Global cues also weighed on sentiment, as weakness across international markets dampened risk appetite. Despite the volatility, the index managed to hold within a rangebound zone, ultimately closing the session at 164,590 points, down 1,963 points from the previous close. Trading activity remained robust, driven by investors capitalizing on elevated valuations to realize gains.
- The KSE-100 index recorded 485mn shares traded, while total market volumes stood at 1.5bn shares. WTL (162mn), KEL (138mn) and TELE (91mn) emerged as volume leaders for the day. Looking ahead, the market is expected to remain rangebound in the near term, reflecting broader global volatility. Sentiment could, however, find support upon the anticipated approval of the IMF tranche and further strengthening of macroeconomic indicators. Moreover, the ongoing corporate earnings season may trigger selective buying in fundamentally strong scrips, particularly those expected to deliver resilient results. Investors are advised to adopt a cautious yet strategic stance, focusing on long-term growth stories while remaining vigilant amid short-term fluctuations.
