Pakistan Market Wrap: Market Tests 180K Level: From 2,200-Point Plunge to 909- Point Loss – By HMFS Research
Feb 13 2026
HMFS Research
- The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) came under significant pressure on Friday, as aggressive early-session selling dragged the benchmark KSE-100 Index down by more than 2,200 points intraday. The sharp decline reflected heightened geopolitical and domestic political uncertainties, which dampened investor risk appetite at the outset. However, value hunting and selective accumulation in the latter half of the session helped the index recover a substantial portion of its losses. The KSE-100 ultimately closed at 179,604 level, down 909 points day-on-day, signaling resilience despite elevated volatility. Despite the volatility, market activity remained robust.
- Trading volumes on the KSE-100 reached 380mn shares, while total market volumes stood at 706mn shares—indicating continued participation and liquidity. Among volume leaders, KEL (131mn shares), PIBTL (35mn shares), and WTL (34mn shares) dominated turnover. Going forward, market direction will remain highly sensitive to regional geopolitical developments and evolving domestic macroeconomic landscape. Inflation trajectory and clarity on monetary policy will be key determinants of short-term sentiment. That said, upcoming corporate earnings announcements—particularly from index-heavy blue-chip names—along with attractive dividend yields in select sectors, are expected to offer valuation support at lower levels. Investors are advised to adopt a selective and disciplined strategy, prioritizing fundamentally strong companies with earnings visibility, stable cash flows, and resilient balance sheets. In the current environment, prudence and portfolio quality will remain critical to navigating volatility while positioning for medium-term recovery.
