The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) ended the week with a significant decline, as the benchmark KSE-100 Index shed 1,949.56 points, closing at 122,143.56 — a drop of 1.57% on Friday. The sharp fall came amid rising geopolitical tensions following a reported military strike by Israel on Iran, sending ripples across global markets and pushing investors toward safe-haven assets.
The index experienced a volatile trading session, swinging within a wide intraday range of 1,453.47 points. It reached a high of 123,058.06 points, still down over 1,000 points at its peak, and plunged to a session low of 121,604.59, reflecting the overall bearish sentiment prevailing in equity markets. A total of 238.19 million shares were traded on the KSE-100, underscoring heightened activity amid the sell-off.
The conflict in the Middle East triggered a wave of panic in regional markets. Global investors responded with caution, driving Asian indices downward, dragging U.S. futures into negative territory, and accelerating a shift to traditionally safe assets such as gold and the Swiss franc. Oil prices also jumped as fears of broader regional instability resurfaced, creating inflationary concerns and further denting investor confidence.
Out of the 100 companies listed in the KSE-100 Index, only 12 ended in the green, while 85 recorded losses and 3 remained unchanged. Leading the list of top decliners were Pakistan Oilfields Limited (POML), which fell by 7.63%, followed by Pioneer Cement (PIOC) dropping 4.97%, International Industries Limited (INIL) declining 4.58%, Cnergyico (CNERGY) losing 4.57%, and Pakistan Telecommunication Company (PTC) sliding 4.20%.
On the other hand, a few counters managed to post gains despite the broader downturn. The top five gainers included Bank of New York Mellon (BNWM) which rose 7.39%, Pakistan Glass Products (PKGP) up 6.25%, TPL REIT Fund I (TPLRF1) gaining 5.17%, Pakistan Oilfields (POL) adding 1.16%, and Packages Limited (PKGS) up 1.12%.
From a points contribution perspective, major drags on the index came from Engro Corporation (-222.94 points), Lucky Cement (-151.09 points), Fauji Fertilizer Company (-134.78 points), Bank Al Habib (-117.60 points), and Systems Limited (-101.11 points). In contrast, PKGP (+85.86 points), POL (+27.03 points), TPLRF1 (+24.73 points), Indus Motor Company (INDU) (+5.92 points), and PKGS (+5.22 points) offered some cushion to the otherwise bearish session.
Sector-wise, the most substantial pressure on the index came from Commercial Banks (-421.61 points), Cement (-300.98 points), Investment Banks/Companies & Securities Firms (-234.20 points), Fertilizer (-210.66 points), and Oil & Gas Exploration Companies (-203.64 points). Slight support was observed from Real Estate Investment Trusts (+24.36 points), Power Generation & Distribution (+12.50 points), Paper & Packaging (+5.22 points), Tobacco (+1.31 points), and Woollen (+0.52 points).
The broader All-Share Index mirrored the downturn, closing at 76,055.21 with a loss of 1,051.08 points or 1.36%. Market activity also reflected caution, with 968.22 million shares traded compared to 1,024.56 million in the previous session. The value of traded shares dropped to Rs29.55 billion, marking a significant decrease of Rs20.99 billion.
Out of 469 active companies, 130 closed positive, 304 ended negative, and 35 remained unchanged, painting a clear picture of investor nervousness amid escalating global tensions. The Pakistan equity market now looks toward the next trading week with uncertainty, awaiting developments on the geopolitical front and any possible impact on commodities, foreign investments, and regional stability.