The Pakistan Stock Exchange’s (PSX) benchmark KSE-100 index experienced a significant downturn on Monday, February 23, 2026, closing at 167,691.08 points after losing 5,478.63 points, a decline of 3.16 percent from the previous day’s close of 173,169.71 points.
The index briefly reached an intraday high of 174,336.85 points at 9:38 am local time, surpassing the previous closing value, but subsequently fell to a low of 166,886.63 points around 1:24 pm before partially recovering by the market’s close, according to data from the PSX.
Trading volume was led by K-Electric Limited, which saw a 4.61 percent decrease to Rs7.66 with 36,062,769 shares traded. Worldcall Telecom Limited followed, declining 4.35 percent to Rs1.32 with a volume of 33,673,161 shares. Bank of Punjab experienced a substantial drop of 8.63 percent, closing at Rs30.19 with 26,673,106 shares changing hands.
Conversely, Itanz Technologies Limited led the advancing stocks, rising 10.01 percent to Rs13.96. Kohinoor Industries Limited and S.S. Oil Mills Limited also saw gains, increasing by 10.00 percent each to Rs50.60 and Rs563.62 respectively.
The largest percentage decliners were Trust Securities & Brokerage Limited (R), down 17.31 percent to Rs0.43; First Capital Securities Corporation, down 15.74 percent to Rs4.39; and LSE Capital Limited (Right), which fell 14.91 percent to Rs0.97.
Monday’s decline marks the third major downturn for the PSX in the past two weeks. The KSE-100 previously fell by 5,149.80 points on February 16, and experienced its largest single-day drop in history on February 19, losing 6,683 points.
Last week, the PSX faced headwinds from geopolitical tensions involving the United States and Iran, coupled with domestic political uncertainty, triggering a sell-off that pushed the KSE-100 index below the 174,000-point level.
Analysts at AKD Securities have indicated that the market’s near-term direction will be heavily influenced by geopolitical developments and the outcome of an upcoming review mission by the International Monetary Fund, scheduled to arrive next week. The ongoing corporate results season is also expected to play a role, with potential for gains if earnings exceed expectations.
As of 1:50 PM on February 23, 2026, other indices tracked by the PSX also showed declines: the KSE100PR fell 3.16 percent to 52,607.48, ALLSHR decreased 3.22 percent to 100,605.79, KSE30 dropped 3.23 percent to 51,327.62, and KMI fell 3.57 percent to 234,255.58.
