The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) closed sharply lower on Wednesday as the benchmark KSE-100 Index extended its corrective move amid broad-based selling, particularly in banking, fertilizer, cement, and technology stocks. By the end of the session, the benchmark settled at 182,569.81 points, down 1,381.69 points, marking a decline of 0.75% over the previous close.

The trading session exhibited significant volatility, with the index moving within an intraday range of 2,356.74 points. It recorded an intraday high of 184,726.60 points (+775.10) driven by early-session buying, while eventually sliding to an intraday low of 182,369.86 points (-1,581.64) as selling pressure intensified in the second half.

Activity in the benchmark remained relatively strong, with the KSE-100 Index volume measuring 444.26 million shares, in line with elevated participation seen in recent sessions. However, market breadth skewed heavily negative, as 81 out of 100 index constituents closed lower, while only 19 advanced and none remained unchanged, reflecting risk-off sentiment across the board.

Price action was led by notable downside moves in specific names. Among index heavyweights, top decliners included PTC (-5.61%), IBFL (-4.81%), YOUW (-4.38%), KOHC (-3.28%), and SHFA (-2.89%). Conversely, selective strength was observed in exploration, chemicals, and financials, with LOTCHEM (+5.16%), ATLH (+3.92%), AKBL (+3.25%), OGDC (+2.94%), and PPL (+2.13%) emerging as top gainers.

Index-wise point contributions further illustrated the drag from large banks and cyclical counters. Names pulling the benchmark lower included UBL (-300.35 points), MCB (-169.54 points), FFC (-164.04 points), LUCK (-151.06 points), and HUBC (-112.27 points). Meanwhile, upside contributions were driven primarily by exploration and selective financials, led by OGDC (+190.53 points), PPL (+116.50 points), AKBL (+55.83 points), MEBL (+38.95 points), and ATLH (+26.69 points).

From a sectoral standpoint, the session was weighed down by Commercial Banks (-576.59 points), Cement (-246.90 points), Fertilizer (-197.30 points), Technology & Communication (-148.75 points) and Power Generation & Distribution (-126.41 points). In contrast, support stemmed from Oil & Gas Exploration Companies (+290.83 points), followed distantly by Chemical (+14.11 points), Cable & Electrical Goods (+12.81 points), Refinery (+7.12 points), and Transport (+4.38 points).

Activity in the broader market also remained elevated, with the All-Share Index closing at 109,674.47 points, down 729.71 points or 0.66%. Total market volumes reached 1,034.12 million shares, slightly lower than the previous session’s 1,037.26 million shares, while traded value increased to approximately Rs. 65.96 billion, reflecting heightened transactional activity. A total of 509,331 trades were executed across 483 companies, with 90 advancing, 352 declining, and 41 unchanged, indicating broad selling beyond index constituents.

Turnover remained concentrated in liquid names, with the top volume leaders including KEL (56.27M shares), WTL (55.67M), PIBTL (47.52M), PACE (45.36M), and NPL (42.60M), demonstrating sustained retail and speculative participation.

Despite the session’s pullback, the larger performance context remains robust. The index has added 56,942 points (+45.33%) during the current fiscal year, and remains up 8,515 points (+4.89%) year-to-date, underscoring the strength of the broader trend despite short-term corrections.