KARACHI: (Web Desk) – The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) opened the new trading week sharply lower, with the benchmark KSE-100 index tumbling more than 2,100 points during intraday trading amid continued investor uncertainty and cautious market sentiment.
According to market data, the KSE-100 index fell by 2,140.31 points to 177,463.42, reflecting a decline of 1.19 percent compared to the previous closing level of 179,603.73 points. The downturn extends the bearish trend observed in the previous session, when the index lost 908.92 points, or 0.50 percent, highlighting persistent volatility in the market.
Analysts attribute the decline to investor concerns over upcoming economic developments, including the scheduled visit of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation later this month. The IMF team is expected to arrive in Pakistan during the final week of February 2026 for the third review under the country’s $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program.
The review is crucial for Pakistan as authorities aim to secure the next $1 billion tranche of funding. Discussions are expected to focus on fiscal targets, economic reforms, and preparations for the federal budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year. Market participants often remain cautious ahead of such reviews due to uncertainty surrounding policy measures and potential adjustments.
Trading activity also reflected weaker investor participation. The ready market recorded a volume of 708.968 million shares with a total traded value of Rs38.887 billion, compared with 873.996 million shares valued at Rs41.766 billion in the previous session. Overall market capitalization declined to Rs20.359 trillion from Rs20.438 trillion a day earlier.
Out of 481 active companies, 231 stocks declined while 194 advanced and 56 remained unchanged, indicating broad-based selling pressure across sectors.
Market experts say investor sentiment is likely to remain sensitive to macroeconomic signals, IMF negotiations, and global market trends in the coming weeks.
