Web Desk KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange saw a sharp downturn on Monday, with the KSE-100 index falling 3.05% to close at 149,178.66 points, losing 4,687.51 points.
After touching an intraday high of 153,943.70, strong selling pressure emerged. Analysts say the sharp reversal to a low of 148,747.72 reflects profit-taking and cautious behavior among institutional investors.
Market Overview
Trading volume for index constituents reached 153.18 million shares. FYTD returns remain healthy at 18.75%, but CYTD has declined to -14.29%, highlighting a challenging start to 2026.
KSE-100 Highlights (Mar 16, 2026)
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Final Close | 149,178.66 |
| Point Change | -4,687.51 |
| Percentage Change | -3.05% |
| Intraday High/Low | 153,943.70 / 148,747.72 |
Sectoral Performance
Fertilizer and banking sectors drove most losses. Fauji Fertilizer (FFC) alone subtracted 585.88 points. Stocks such as UBL, ENGRO, HUBC also contributed. Systems Ltd (SYS) added 79.42 points but could not offset overall market decline.
| Top Gainers | Pts (+) | Top Losers | Pts (-) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Systems Ltd (SYS) | +79.42 | Fauji Fertilizer (FFC) | -585.88 |
| Abbott Labs (ABOT) | +30.39 | United Bank (UBL) | -386.96 |
| Engro Fert (EFERT) | +10.06 | Engro Corp (ENGRO) | -319.65 |
Final Outlook
The PSX remains in a correction mode. CYTD losses of 14.29% show cautious investor sentiment. Analysts are monitoring 148,500 as a key support level.
International Forex Exchange Rates Today in Pakistan – 21 April 2026