The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a choppy session on Tuesday, with the benchmark KSE-100 index struggling to maintain early gains amid renewed macroeconomic concerns. The market opened on a positive note, briefly touching the day’s high at 169,289.20, but momentum faded as the session progressed. Profit-taking in the last few hours pushed the index into the red.
At the close, the KSE-100 had fallen to 167,642.28, down 419.92 points or 0.25%. The index also hit an intraday low of 167,445.93, reflecting persistent jitters and reactive trading behavior.
Read: PSX sets positive tone for December with strong 1,384 point gain
Investor sentiment weakened further after new data showed Pakistan’s trade deficit widened to $2.9 billion in November 2025, a development that weighed heavily on sentiment and encouraged investors to lock in profits rather than widening exposure. With increasing pressures from the external sector, market participants remained cautious throughout the day.
In its post-market note, KTrade Securities said the PSX posted profit-taking in the second half after a recent strong rally, dragging the index down by 419 points (-0.25%) to close at 167,642. The pressure came from Fauji Fertiliser, Hub Power, Pakistan Petroleum, Engro Corporation, Systems Limited and Oil & Gas Development Company.
Read more: PSX nears 167,000 thanks to institutional inflows
However, Lucky Cement fared better, along with National Bank of Pakistan, Bestway Cement and Faysal Bank. Market share remained strong, with All-Share volumes reaching 722 million. Looking ahead, KTrade noted that sentiment remains constructive, with the upcoming IMF board meeting on December 8 and the expected release of the tranche likely to guide direction, while regional geopolitical shifts could shape near-term momentum.
Overall, trading volume increased to 775.5 million shares compared to 735.5 million on Monday. The value of shares traded amounted to 37.4 billion rupees. Shares of 479 companies were traded, of which 182 advanced, 254 fell and 43 remained unchanged. WorldCall Telecom led the volume chart with 169 million shares traded, losing Rs 0.04 to close at Rs 1.80.
