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PSX slumps over 1,700 points as investor sentiment weakens | The Express Tribune
Despite decline, trading activity remained strong, with volumes reaching 860m shares, traded value standing at Rs34.8b
The Pakistan Stock Exchange lost further ground as the benchmark KSE-100 index fell by more than 1,700 points, mainly due to the absence of major triggers to encourage investors to build new positions. A day earlier, the market had shed 1,521 points, driven by profit-taking at higher valuations.
Although trading opened positively and stayed in the green for a short time, the market began to decline before midday. The index hit an intra-day low of 159,217 points later in the session and closed slightly above that level. At the close, the KSE-100 index recorded a drop of 1,703.58 points, or 1.06%, to settle at 159,578.19.
Topline Securities, in its market review, said, “The KSE-100 index ended the session on a negative note on Wednesday. Throughout the day, the benchmark oscillated between an intra-day high of 162,052 and a low of 159,217. The bearish sentiment was primarily driven by the absence of fresh market triggers following the conclusion of the corporate results season.”
Major index heavyweights — including Fauji Fertiliser Company, Engro, Lucky Cement, Meezan Bank, and Systems Limited — were the main laggards, collectively shaving 902 points off the benchmark.
Despite the decline, trading activity remained strong, with volumes reaching 860 million shares and traded value standing at Rs34.8 billion, the brokerage added.
Benjamin Wegg-Prosser concluded his association with Lord Mandelson – and references to them both in the Epstein files – was doing the business Global Counsel harm.
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Discount chain Lidl has announced its seventh pay rise since 2023.
The German-owned group’s £29 million investment in pay rises will see entry-level pay rise to £13.45 an hour nationwide, increasing to £14.45 with length of service, from March 1. New starter pay in London will also increase from £14.35 to £14.80, rising to £15.30 with length of service.
The group, which employs more than 35,000 workers, claimed it was once again the “highest paying UK supermarket” following the moves.
It comes ahead of the national minimum wage rising by 50p from £12.21 to £12.71 per hour for eligible workers aged 21 and over from April 1.
Lidl said it was also doubling paternity leave from two to four weeks’ full pay, which will rise to eight weeks’ full paid leave after five years of service.
Stephanie Rogers, chief people officer at Lidl, said: “Our colleagues are the backbone of our business, and their success is our success.”
“We are continuing to mark unprecedented growth across Great Britain, creating thousands more jobs along the way, while continuing to invest in our people,” she added.
On the paternity leave changes, she said: “We believe that a longer period of paid paternity leave is a vital step on our journey towards gender equality in the workplace.”
Lidl revealed plans earlier this year to open 19 stores over the next eight weeks, which will create up to 640 jobs.
The group last year hit the milestone of opening its 1,000th store as it looks to add around another 40 sites in the year to February 28.
Lidl is currently Britain’s sixth-largest grocery chain, according to experts at Worldpanel, after making the biggest market share gains in the sector in recent months.
Recent figures from the group showed it enjoyed a strong Christmas, with a 10 per cent surge in sales seeing it notch up more than £1.1 billion in turnover in the four weeks leading up to Christmas Eve.
The price of Bitcoin fell below $70,000 on February 5, down 44% from its October 2025 high of $126,210, as investors shift interest to gold and global economic concerns rise.
Earlier in the day, Bitcoin briefly touched $63,000 before closing at $70,000.
Last week alone, its value dropped more than $20,000, reducing it by almost a quarter.
Compared to four months ago, Bitcoin has now lost about half its peak value.
Analysts say investor interest in Bitcoin is waning, with growing pessimism surrounding the broader cryptocurrency market.
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