February 27, 2026 (MLN): The KSE-100 Index slipped into negative territory on Friday, as renewed geopolitical tensions weighed on investor confidence and prompted cautious trading activity.

The benchmark index closed at 168,062.16, registering a decline of 830.92 points or 0.49%.

The session remained volatile, with the index moving within a range of 3,568.10 points. It touched an intraday high of 169,379.97 (+486.89 points) before falling sharply to a low of 165,811.87 (-3,081.21 points).

Total trading volume of the KSE-100 Index stood at 222.44 million shares.

Market sentiment remained subdued following heightened military tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

The escalation in cross-border hostilities triggered fresh uncertainty, leading investors to adopt a defensive stance and trim positions ahead of the weekend.

Of the 100 index companies, 34 closed higher, 63 declined, and 3 remained unchanged, reflecting a negative market breadth.

Top losers during the day were UNITY (-9.96%), SSGC (-5.75%), IBFL (-5.64%), FHAM (-3.23%), and ATRL (-3.22%).

On the other hand, top gainers included SSOM (+7.34%), KTML (+4.60%), AKBL (+4.55%), JDWS (+4.20%), and THALL (+3.97%).

In terms of index-point contribution, major drags on the benchmark were UBL (-338.51pts), FFC (-94.97pts), OGDC (-77.22pts), PPL (-75.58pts), and MCB (-71.45pts).

Meanwhile, companies that lent support to the index were BAFL (+89.28pts), ENGROH (+68.60pts), AKBL (+65.02pts), MEBL (+58.00pts), and POL (+33.89pts).

Sector-wise, the KSE-100 Index was primarily weighed down by Commercial Banks (-272.27pts), Oil & Gas Exploration Companies (-182.99pts), Fertilizer (-95.13pts), Technology & Communication (-91.11pts), and Automobile Assembler (-48.81pts).

Support came from Investment Banks/Investment Companies/Securities Companies (+70.91pts), Automobile Parts & Accessories (+29.08pts), Property (+26.62pts), Chemical (+16.26pts), and Textile Composite (+15.65pts).

In the broader market, the All-Share Index closed at 100,418.82, posting a net loss of 469.96 points or 0.47%.

Total market volume stood at 536.24 million shares compared to 692.40 million in the previous session, while traded value declined by Rs10.26 billion to Rs25.54 billion.

A total of 276,733 trades were reported in 472 companies, with 161 closing higher, 257 declining, and 54 remaining unchanged, highlighting cautious participation amid rising geopolitical uncertainty.

To note, the KSE-100 has gained 42,435 points or 33.78% during the fiscal year, whereas it has decreased 5,992 points or 3.44% so far this calendar year.

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