Equities end lower as market swings reflect fragile sentiment

The benchmark index remained turbulent throughout the day.

KARACHI: The local bourse witnessed a volatile trading session today, as investors navigated sharp swings in market sentiment.

The benchmark index remained turbulent throughout the day, recording an intraday high of 399 points and an intraday low of 984 points, reflecting heightened uncertainty and cautious investor behavior.

Despite intermittent recovery attempts, sustained selling pressure across key sectors kept the market under strain, dragging the benchmark index to close at 169,427 level, down by 903 points or 0.53%.

The wide intraday range reflected a tug-of-war between cautious optimism and lingering concerns, with sentiment remaining fragile as participants assessed evolving macroeconomic cues while positioning ahead of key market triggers.

On the index contribution front, heavyweight stocks including MEBL, ISL, POL, INIL, and ILP collectively added 183 points to the benchmark index. On the other hand, BAHL, UBL, MCB, ENGROH, and OGDC weighed on performance, collectively eroding 464 points from the index.

Market participation remained healthy, with total traded volume clocking in at 792 million shares, while traded value settled at PKR 25.4 billion. TPLP emerged as the volume leader, with 64 million shares changing hands during the session.