Karachi: Bearish sentiment prevailed at Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) as benchmark KSE-100 ended with loss of nearly 160 points amid higher volume that was dominated by WorldCall Telecom.

After witnessing an upward momentum in initial stages, benchmark index slipped lower throughout trading session. At close, benchmark index settled at 72,601.82, decrease of 159.38 points or 0.22 percent. Selling pressure was witnessed in key sectors including automobile assemblers, cement, commercial banks, OMCs and refinery, while index-heavy stocks including, SNGPL, SSGC, SHEL and PSO settled in red. Volume on all-share index increased to 970.32 million from 621.83 million session ago. However, value of shares slightly decreased to Rs 23.51 billion from Rs 24.97 billion in previous session.

WorldCall Telecom was volume leader with 407.88 million shares, followed by K-Electric Limited with 68.03 million shares and Hum Network with 56.11 million shares. Shares of 388 companies were traded, of which 149 registered an increase, 208 recorded fall, while 31 remained unchanged. Internationally, Asian stocks lacked direction on Wednesday, while dollar remained firm despite lower US Treasury yields as markets assessed mixed signals from US policymakers and economic data on path for Federal Reserve interest rates.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan slid 0.19 percent, weighed down partly by declines from mainland Chinese blue chips. However, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 0.52 percent.