KSE-100 Slips After Touching 180,000 as Early Rally Fades

The KSE-100 index lost momentum during Wednesday’s session at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), giving up early gains as selling pressure returned. At around 3:25pm the index stood at 178,983.05, down 352.19 points, or 0.20 per cent, from the previous close of 179,335.24.

KSE-100 Index: Early Rally Reverses

Earlier in the day the index had climbed more than 800 points to reach 180,148.80 at 1:30pm, before pulling back. The session’s high was 180,769 and the low 178,642. Total volume reached 314.66 million shares by 3:25pm, showing activity stayed strong.

Why the Market Turned

The pullback follows a strong rally on Tuesday, when the KSE-100 jumped 5,448.56 points, or 3.13 per cent, as investors responded to signs of easing geopolitical tensions after US President Donald Trump’s remarks on peace.

Global markets were meanwhile dealing with fresh concerns over US inflation and the Federal Reserve’s interest rate outlook. US core inflation rose 0.3 per cent month-on-month in October, above economists’ expectation of 0.2 per cent. Fed Governor Christopher Waller indicated that such a reading could lead him to consider a 50-basis-point rate increase in December, and other policymakers also signalled the need for further rate rises, although views differed on their pace.

Where the Index Stands

Even after the dip, the benchmark is trading well above Monday’s close of 173,886.69. That means most of Tuesday’s 5,448-point jump is still intact, and Wednesday’s move so far is a modest correction rather than a sharp reversal.

What Happens Next

Traders will watch whether the index can hold above the 178,000 level after Tuesday’s large gain, and whether global rate worries add to the profit-taking.

Read more: KSE-100 Surges 5,448 Points to Close at 179,335 on PSX