PSX down 280 points at midday as cautious trade keeps market under pressure

KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange stayed in the red through the first half of trading on Tuesday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index standing at 177,982.68 by 1pm, down 279.65 points or 0.16% from the previous close of 178,262.33.

The market opened weak and extended losses in early trade, falling to 177,914.38 at 9:39am, a decline of 347.95 points or 0.20%. It later recovered part of that drop, though the benchmark remained under pressure at midday.

Trading was volatile during the session, with the index moving between an intraday high of 179,123.00 and a low of 177,903.87. Despite the decline, activity remained firm as 339.48 million shares changed hands, with traded value reaching about Rs19.71 billion.

Investor sentiment remained subdued at midday, with cautious positioning and profit-taking weighing on the market even after a partial rebound from the session’s early lows.