KMI-30 Index Falls 1,792 Points at Pakistan Stock Exchange as Oil and Banking Stocks Drag Market

The benchmark KMI-30 index at the Pakistan Stock Exchange ended Friday’s trading session on a negative note, losing more than 1,700 points as selling pressure dominated the market.

According to official market data, the KMI-30 index opened the day at 221,533 points. During the session, the index climbed to a high of 226,479 points, reflecting early investor optimism. However, the positive momentum could not be sustained, and the market later slipped to a low of 219,701 points before closing at 221,927 points.

Overall, the index recorded a decline of 1,792 points, representing a 0.80 percent drop during the trading session.
Market analysts said the decline came mainly due to selling pressure in energy and banking sector stocks. Investors remained cautious amid economic uncertainty and profit-taking by institutional investors.

Despite the overall decline, a few stocks helped limit the losses. Among the major gainers, Engro Holdings emerged as the biggest contributor, adding 1,115 points to the index. Technology company Systems Limited also supported the market with a contribution of 545 points.

Other stocks that helped the market included EFERT, ATRL, and Glaxo, though their contributions were comparatively smaller.

On the other hand, several heavyweight stocks dragged the index downward. Lucky Cement was the biggest dragger, removing 542 points from the benchmark index. Oil and gas exploration giant OGDC also weighed heavily on the market.

Banking stocks including HUBC, Meezan Bank, and PPL further contributed to the decline as investors opted for profit-taking after recent gains.

Market experts say the volatility seen during the session reflects investor caution ahead of upcoming economic data and policy decisions. They added that fluctuations in global commodity prices and currency movements are also influencing investor sentiment.

Despite the day’s decline, the KMI-30 index still shows strong growth on a financial-year basis. The index has recorded a 20.03 percent increase in the fiscal year-to-date (FYTD) performance.

However, when measured from the start of the calendar year, the index shows a 10.71 percent decline, indicating that recent market corrections have erased earlier gains.

Trading activity also remained relatively healthy. The index constituent volume reached 101.40 million shares, indicating active participation by investors.

Analysts believe the market may continue to experience short-term volatility but expect improved stability if macroeconomic indicators show improvement and investor confidence returns.

For long-term investors, the Pakistan stock market still offers opportunities in sectors such as technology, fertilizer, and energy, which continue to show strong fundamentals.