KSE-100 slips 718 points as investors stay cautious and adopt wait-and-see approach
KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a subdued trading session on Monday as investors remained cautious ahead of the highly anticipated monetary policy announcement by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).
As a result, the benchmark KSE-100 Index opened on a weak note and, moreover, continued to trade in a narrow range throughout the session. At 1pm, the index stood at 169,953.80, down 718.24 points (-0.42%), reflecting persistent selling pressure and limited participation.
Meanwhile, market sentiment stayed fragile as investors avoided fresh positions. In particular, uncertainty over the upcoming monetary policy stance—especially the direction of interest rates and its impact on inflation and growth—kept traders on the sidelines.
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Intra-day movement also remained range-bound. The index touched a high of 171,306.61 and a low of 169,268.33, showing a lack of strong directional momentum. At the same time, overall activity stayed moderate, with volumes recorded at 197.63 million shares, while traded value reached Rs13.51 billion.
According to market analyst Mohammed Awais Ashraf, “Investors remain on the sidelines, awaiting clarity on the upcoming Monetary Policy Statement and further developments in the ongoing US–Iran conflict.”
Looking ahead, market direction will largely depend on the SBP’s policy decision and its forward guidance. Consequently, the announcement may either restore investor confidence or extend the current cautious trend.
