The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Monday commenced the week on a negative note, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index plunging 586 points, down 1.37 per cent, to close at 42,347.
The benchmark opened lower, with the market opening level of 42,934 remaining the day's high. The market hit a day's low of 42,270 points near the end of the trading session.
In all, 130.5 million shares worth Rs5.8 billion changed hands, as compared to 238.7mn shares worth Rs10.3bn traded on the last trading session.
Of the 344 scrips traded, 101 advanced, 231 declined and 12 remained unchanged.
According to a TopLine report, investors were "clearly spooked by upcoming street protests" by opposition parties from January 17, and opted to remain on the sidelines.
Despite West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil trading well above $64 per barrel, little support was seen from exploration and production companies apart from the Oil and Gas Development Company, it added.
Among the top 10 index point decliners were HBL (‐2.2pc), UBL (‐2.7pc), FFC (‐2.7pc), POL (‐3.5pc), PPL (‐1.3pc), PSO (‐3.5pc), MCB (‐1.7pc), ISL (‐4.5pc), TRG (‐5pc) & INIL (‐5pc).
The textile sector dominated trading with 21.4m shares traded, while the communication and engineering sectors followed with 12.7m and 11.8m shares traded.
Volumes were led by:
Azgard Nine: 19.0m shares traded [+2.34pc];
TRG Pak Ltd: 8.5m shares traded [-4.99pc];
P.I.A.C.(A): 6.3m shares traded [+22.99pc];
Pak Elektron: 5.4m shares traded [-3.53pc];
Aisha Steel Mill: 5.0m shares traded [-5.00pc].
