The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) continued in the red on Monday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index losing 158 points to close at 44,379 despite a positive opening.

The index touched the day's high of 44,763 points after a positive start, but the bears returned to pull the index down to a day's low of 44,322 points towards close.

Over 130.5 million shares worth Rs5.6 billion were traded as 123 of 372 traded scrips advanced, while 226 declined and 23 remained unchanged.

"Pakistan’s equities couldn’t sustain intra-day rally led by Fertilizers and exploration and production stocks, as profit taking in selected stocks mainly in Banks dragged index to red zone," a note by Topline Market Review said.

The investment banking sector dominated trading with 17.8m shares traded, while vanaspati and allied industries followed with 13.5m shares traded.

Volumes were led by:

  1. Unity Foods Limited: 13.5m shares traded [+4.37pc];

  2. Bank Of Punjab: 7.2m shares traded [-2.53pc];

  3. First Dawood Investment Bank Ltd: 7.1m shares traded [+26.94pc];

  4. Engro Fertilizers Limited: 6.1m shares traded [+1.41pc];

  5. Azgard Nine Limited: 5.2m shares traded [-0.40pc].

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