However, beneath the surface, the market told a more complex story as the index posted a strong gain from its previous close of 145,088.50, according to data released at the PSX website.

The volume of traded shares dipped. A total of 712,527,450 shares changed hands compared to 788,463,721 in the prior session. However, the total value of traded shares jumped to Rs55,677,000,000 from Rs52,780,000,000 — hinting at a shift toward high-value transactions.

A total of 483 companies took part in trading. Among these, 221 saw gains, while 235 suffered losses. Notably, the share prices of 27 companies remained unchanged, reflecting a tug-of-war between bulls and bears.

Pak Petroleum topped the volume leaderboard with 33,121,252 shares traded at Rs189.74 per share. WorldCall Telecom followed with 25,365,424 shares at Rs1.43, while Fauji Foods drew attention with 23,971,113 shares changing hands at Rs16.04.

Rafhan Maize Products delivered the day’s biggest surprise, with its share price skyrocketing by Rs81.85 to close at Rs9,679.12. Al-Abbas Sugar Mills followed with a rise of Rs39.7, ending at Rs1,119.37.

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On the flip side, PIA Holding Company LimitedB took the hardest fall, shedding Rs1,078.10 per share and closing at Rs29,857.80. Nestle Pakistan also faced a steep decline of Rs530.57, ending at Rs9,037.58 per share.

While the index painted a bullish picture, the decline in traded volume and the nearly equal split between gainers and losers suggests a cautious sentiment among investors. The day saw high-value blue-chip activity but also heavy corrections in some major stocks. This could indicate portfolio reshuffling by institutional investors ahead of potential policy or economic developments.