KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) endured its second consecutive negative session on Wednesday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index falling nearly 1,600 points, closing at 113,443.43.

The index declined by 1,598.82 points or 1.39%, as late-session selling intensified market pressure. The trading session began with range-bound movements, and the index reached an intra-day high of 115,256.16, approximately 200 points higher than the previous day’s close. However, as the day progressed, selling pressure escalated, causing the index to dip to an intra-day low of 113,359.38 before ultimately settling lower. Key sectors such as automobile assemblers, commercial banks, fertilisers, oil and gas exploration companies, and power generation experienced significant sell-offs, contributing to the overall decline.

Major index-heavy stocks including HUBCO, SSGC, SNGP, OGDC, MARI, and PPL all saw downward movements, playing a pivotal role in dragging the market lower. Intermarket Securities identified political concerns and investor uncertainty surrounding the new US administration as key factors influencing market sentiment. The brokerage firm noted that unless new positive triggers emerge, the market might remain range-bound in the near future. While Pakistan’s stock market faced downward pressure, global markets saw a boost. Positive corporate earnings and newly announced policies from US President Donald Trump sparked investor optimism. This was reflected in the movement of major global indices, providing some relief for international markets, even as concerns about trade and tariffs remained.On the currency front, the Pakistani rupee remained stable, depreciating marginally by 0.01% against the US dollar. At the close of trading, the rupee settled at 278.85, a slight loss of Re0.03. In terms of trading volume, the all-share index saw a decline, with total volume dropping to 743.63 million shares from the previous session. However, the value of shares traded rose to Rs35.24 billion, reflecting an increase in the value of transactions despite the market's decline. WorldCall Telecom led in trading volume with 100.22 million shares, followed by Cnergyico PK and Fauji Cement. The overall market remains under pressure, as investors await clearer signals for a potential rebound.