KSE-100 falls below 164,000 as oil prices and geopolitics weigh on sentiment
The Pakistan Stock Exchange's benchmark KSE-100 index closed below the 164,000-point level on Thursday, losing 2,006.67 points, or 1.21%, to settle at 163,924.32 as rising international oil prices and geopolitical tension weighed on investor sentiment.
Arif Habib Limited said the week's downside target of 164,000 was delivered, with only 11 shares rising against 89 declining. Unilever Pakistan Foods, Thatta Cement and Standard Chartered Bank made the largest positive contributions to the index, while Engro Holdings, UBL and HBL were the heaviest drags. Topline's market review said the index initially touched an intra-day high of 249 points before plunging to a low of 2,148 points, reflecting heightened volatility and selling pressure.
Key banks reported results for nine months of calendar year 2026 that were broadly in line with expectations. HBL posted earnings per share of Rs36.84, up 5% year-on-year, with a dividend per share of Rs18; Meezan Bank reported EPS of Rs41.02, up 6%, and a dividend of Rs23.5; and MCB recorded EPS of Rs37.26, flat year-on-year, with a dividend of Rs27.
Arif Habib Limited said market bias remains to the downside below the 167,000-168,000 zone. Year-to-date the index is down 5.82%, with week-to-date and month-to-date declines of 1.50% and 3.56% respectively. Total market capitalisation stood at Rs18.17 trillion ($65.6 billion), with regular-market turnover of 367 million shares valued at Rs18 billion. Foreign investors sold shares worth Rs376.5 million, according to the National Clearing Company.
The source also reported that Turkiye, Qatar, Pakistan and Indonesia signed an agreement in Doha, described as the "Badr MoU", to boost defence cooperation and strengthen defence capabilities.
