KSE-100 settles over 450 points lower at PSX as selling pressure returns

The Pakistan Stock Exchange's benchmark KSE-100 Index settled at 165,966.08 points on Monday, down 453.63 points or 0.27%, surrendering an intraday recovery as selling pressure built through the second half of the session.

The index opened negative and declined to a session low of 165,918.34 before recovering sharply, climbing above 166,400 points to an intraday high of 166,698.46. It traded within a relatively narrow range around 166,400–166,600 for much of the late morning and early afternoon, but lost momentum later and finished close to its intraday low.

The decline follows a marginal gain on Friday, when the benchmark added 233.55 points, or 0.14%, to close at 166,419.72. The source attributed that range-bound session to a lack of fresh market triggers and elevated global crude oil prices, which kept investors cautious.

Abroad, Asian share markets slipped as unease over AI's enormous funding needs undermined confidence ahead of a week packed with earnings, while Chinese economic data pipped forecasts. Japan's Nikkei fell 1.2%, South Korea dropped 0.4% and Taiwan fell 1.4%, while MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan eased 0.6%. A fall in oil prices offered some support to bonds and Wall Street stock futures, with S&P 500 futures edging up 0.7% and Nasdaq futures rising 1.0%.

Oil fell following US President Donald Trump's decision to waive some sanctions on Russia, though he later said a final decision on the matter had not been made. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that the president would take up to 60 days to assess the economic impact of such a move. Iran separately reported that another tanker had hit a mine in the Strait of Hormuz.