KARACHI – Pakistan Stock Exchange jolted investors as flagship KSE-100 Index plunged over 1,000 points in the first minutes of trading.
Panic rippled through major sectors, from banks and cement to oil and automobiles, as global tensions and rising fuel costs stoked fear. With IMF hinting at an end to fuel relief and the Trump-Iran standoff escalating, traders braced for impact, leaving the market jittery and volatile.
KSE-100 Index plunged by around 2300 points within minutes, settling at 148,000. Heavy selling swept through automobiles, cement, commercial banks, and oil and gas companies, dragging major players OGDC, POL, MCB, NBP, and UBL into the red.
Stock Exchange Update
Across Asia, markets were jittery: Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 1.2%, South Korea’s Kospi jumped 2%, and MSCI’s regional index edged up 0.5%, while S&P 500 futures sank 0.2%.
Brent crude soared 1.4% to $110.58 per barrel after OPEC+ agreed to raise May output by 206,000 barrels per day—but analysts warn that damage to oil infrastructure near the Strait of Hormuz could keep supplies tight. Meanwhile, Trump’s repeated threats to destroy Iranian infrastructure have traders bracing for potential retaliation, adding fuel to an already volatile market.
Around $800 Million Withdrawn from Pakistani Domestic Bonds in Last 9 Months
