Investor sentiment weakens amid US-Iran tensions and rising global oil prices
The benchmark KSE-100 index of the Pakistan Stock Exchange fell by 952 points on Thursday amid volatile trading, as investor sentiment remained fragile due to geopolitical uncertainty and elevated international oil prices.
The KSE-100 index closed at 166,498.83 points, down 952.30 points, or 0.57%, compared with the previous close of 167,451.13.
During the trading session, the market witnessed sharp fluctuations, touching an intraday high of 168,528.87 points and a low of 166,398.90 points as cautious investors reacted to ongoing uncertainty in global markets.
Analysts at Topline Securities said the Pakistan Stock Exchange experienced another highly volatile session, with market participants remaining wary due to the lack of tangible progress in ongoing negotiations and uncertainty surrounding developments between the United States and Iran.
They added that higher international oil prices also weighed on investor confidence, keeping overall market sentiment under pressure throughout the session.
Index-heavy stocks, including United Bank Limited, Systems Limited, Bank Alfalah Limited, Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited, and Pakistan Petroleum Limited, remained under selling pressure and collectively dragged the benchmark index lower by around 580 points.
Overall trading activity remained subdued. Total traded volume stood at 706 million shares, while market turnover reached Rs19.9 billion.
Bunny’s Limited led the volume chart with 115 million shares traded during the session.
Analysts said the market could remain volatile in the near term as investors continue to monitor geopolitical developments, oil price movements, and economic policy signals.