Karachi, April 28, 2025 – The benchmark KSE-100 index at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) saw a decline of 1,405 points or 1.22% on Monday, largely driven by escalating tensions between Pakistan and India.
The KSE-100 index closed at 114,064 points, down from the previous Friday’s closing of 115,469 points.
According to analysts at Topline Securities Limited, the trading session on Monday was marked by a volatile tug-of-war between bullish and bearish market forces. The index initially opened with a positive momentum, registering an intraday high of 1,189 points. However, as the day progressed, market sentiment soured, and selling pressure intensified, causing the index to reverse course sharply and hit an intraday low of 1,601 points. Ultimately, the market closed down by 1.22%, at 114,064 points.
The prevailing market sentiment was primarily influenced by the ongoing conflict between Pakistan and India, which heightened concerns among investors and dampened overall market confidence. The geopolitical tensions acted as a major deterrent, overshadowing any positive market news and leading to widespread selling across the board.
While the index suffered a net decline, certain stocks managed to provide some support. Companies like SYS, LUCK, MEBL, and HBL were among the positive contributors, collectively adding 489 points to the KSE-100 index. However, the bulk of the negative impact came from stocks such as ENGROH, UBL, MARI, EFERT, and PSO, which collectively subtracted 907 points from the benchmark index.
Despite the prevailing risk-averse sentiment, investor participation remained robust, with volumes reaching 421 million shares and a turnover of PKR 26.43 billion. This high level of activity suggests that while the geopolitical situation has affected sentiment, investors are still actively engaging in the market, albeit with a cautious approach.
Overall, the KSE-100 index’s performance on Monday reflects the significant weight geopolitical concerns have on market movements. As tensions between Pakistan and India continue to escalate, the index may remain vulnerable to further volatility.