Bears took control of the trade floor at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Monday as shares declined by 1,200 points.
The benchmark KSE-100 index declined by 1,207.25 points, or 1.07 per cent, to stand at 112,044.41 points from the last close of 113,251.66 at 1:32pm.
Finally, the index closed at 111,986.88, down by 1,264.78 points or 1.12pc, from the previous close.
Yousuf M. Farooq, director research at Chase Securities, said, “Shares worth only Rs18 billion were traded today on the first day of Ramazan, as market activity remained subdued due to shorter trading hours — Ramazan typically sees lower participation.”
He noted that investors were now focused on the upcoming International Monetary Fund (IMF) review.
Pakistan and the IMF had reached a three-year, $7bn aid package deal in July 2024, with the new programme set to allow the country to “cement macroeconomic stability and create conditions for stronger, more inclusive and resilient growth”.
The ongoing 37-month Extended Funded Facility programme consists of six reviews over the life of the bailout, and the release of the next tranche of approximately $1bn will be contingent on the success of the performance review.
“While most expect a smooth process, some concerns remain over the country’s ability to broaden its tax base,” Farooq stated, adding that the current account — though stable — showed “signs of weakness in the latest reading”.
“Inflation is expected to remain low in the near term but is likely to rebound from April,” Farooq highlighted. “Despite the cautious sentiment, the market continues to offer opportunities for long-term investors seeking value and could rally once there is greater clarity on the IMF programme.”
Sana Tawfik, head of research at Arif Habib Limited, attributed the downward trajectory “selling pressure” in the market.
“Due to the Ramazan factor, low volumes also being observed,” she added.
According to Insight Securities Ltd, the market posted a slightly negative performance in February.
The market continued its bearish trend for the second month in a row, primarily due to anxious selling by investors in February. This uncertainty stemmed from concerns about tax reforms and the outcome of the upcoming first review of the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility by the IMF.
Last week, the equity investors had remained cautious throughout the month and opted to take profits at available margins. A successful IMF review would lead to the release of the second tranche, which the country direly needed to meet its external debt repayment obligations.
The State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) foreign exchange reserves had also recorded an uptick of $21m to $11.2bn while the rupee depreciated slightly by 0.04pc, closing at Rs279.57 against the dollar.
