Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed its worst single-day crash in history on Thursday as the benchmark KSE-100 Index plunged over 6,600 points, wiping out the previous session’s gains and pushing the market deep into negative territory.
The KSE-100 Index closed at 172,170 points, down 6,683 points (-3.74%), according to market data. During intraday trading, the index briefly fell by 7,205 points (-4.02%) to a low of 171,647, marking the sharpest decline ever recorded at the bourse.
Trading activity remained heavy, with 229 million shares exchanged worth Rs. 22.16 billion.
Broad-Based Selling Across Market
Out of 568 traded companies, only 32 gained, while 384 declined and 152 remained unchanged, reflecting widespread panic selling across sectors.
Top traded stocks included WorldCall Telecom, K-Electric, Bank of Punjab, Hascol Petroleum, and National Bank of Pakistan, all closing in the red.
| Scrip | Price | High | Low | Change | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WTL | 1.40 | 1.57 | 1.36 | -0.15 | 84,183,811 |
| KEL | 7.85 | 8.40 | 7.65 | -0.54 | 62,013,268 |
| TSBLR1 | 0.64 | 0.99 | 0.60 | -0.54 | 45,871,527 |
| BOP | 32.77 | 35.88 | 32.20 | -3.01 | 28,791,603 |
| HASCOL | 19.74 | 21.80 | 19.58 | -2.01 | 15,749,814 |
| NBP | 260.49 | 271.00 | 257.50 | -7.15 | 13,901,568 |
| PIBTL | 18.09 | 19.99 | 17.89 | -1.79 | 13,488,641 |
Market Sentiment Turns Negative
Analysts described the crash as a major reversal of recent bullish momentum, with investors reacting to macroeconomic uncertainty and profit-taking pressure. The sharp decline erased gains from the previous session and highlighted continued volatility in Pakistan’s equity market.
