The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) traded in negative territory during the first half of the session on Tuesday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index extending its losses after opening on a weak note.

As of 1:00pm, the index stood at 177,982.68, down 279.65 points, or 0.16% from the previous close of 178,262.33. Earlier in the session, the market had fallen to 177,914.38 at 9:39am, reflecting a decline of 347.95 points (0.20%) before trimming some of its losses.

During the session, the index touched an intraday high of 179,123.00 and a low of 177,903.87, highlighting volatile trading as investors remained cautious. Market activity, however, remained healthy, with 339.48 million shares changing hands, while the total traded value reached approximately Rs19.71 billion.

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Overall, investor sentiment remained subdued at midday, with profit-taking and cautious positioning keeping the benchmark under pressure despite a partial recovery from the session’s early lows.

Market participants are expected to monitor developments throughout the afternoon to gauge whether the index can recover further or end the day in negative territory.