Karachi, March 22, 2026 – The benchmark KSE-100 Index at the Pakistan Stock Exchange witnessed a volatile trading week, closing lower by 1,126 points amid persistent geopolitical tensions and cautious investor sentiment.
By the end of the week on March 19, 2026, the index settled at 152,740 points, registering a 0.73% week-on-week decline. Analysts attributed the downward trend to heightened uncertainty in global markets, which triggered selling pressure across key sectors.
Market data showed mixed economic indicators during the week. Auto financing surged by 35.3% year-on-year to PKR 337 billion in February 2026, reflecting improving consumer demand. Meanwhile, net foreign direct investment (FDI) posted an inflow of $214 million in February, reversing a net outflow recorded in January.
In the debt market, the government raised PKR 1.045 trillion in the latest treasury bill auction, significantly exceeding its target of PKR 700 billion. Yields increased across all tenors by 51 to 100 basis points, indicating tightening liquidity conditions.
Pakistan’s external account showed improvement, with a current account surplus of $427 million recorded in February 2026—the highest since March 2025. However, the cumulative deficit for the first eight months of FY26 stood at $700 million.
On the industrial front, large-scale manufacturing output grew by 10.5% year-on-year in January, while power generation rose by 11% in February. Technology exports also increased by 19% annually, highlighting resilience in the IT sector.
The Pakistani rupee remained stable against the US dollar, closing at 279.23/USD.
Analysts expect the KSE-100 to remain sensitive to geopolitical developments and upcoming inflation data in the week ahead, with investors closely monitoring post-Ramadan market trends.