The Pakistan Stock Exchange’s benchmark KSE-100 Index dropped sharply on Thursday, losing 2,643 points (1.67%) during intraday trading to 155,670.42 points, after recovering strongly the previous day.
On Wednesday, the index had surged 4,347 points to close at 158,313, lifted by value-hunting and cautious optimism over easing Middle East tensions. During that session, the KSE-100 reached an intraday high of 158,586 points and a low of 155,199, with buying activity concentrated in key sectors.
Analysts said the Wednesday rally was driven by softer international oil prices and hopes of regional de-escalation, boosting investor confidence. Top performers included entity[“organization”,”MCB Bank”,”Pakistani bank”], Fauji Fertiliser Company [“organization”,”Systems Ltd”,”Pakistani tech company”], “,”Lucky Cement”,”Pakistani cement company”], and Hub Power Company shares exchanged and a turnover of Rs34.5 billion. Unity Foods led volumes with approximately 72 million shares traded.
Ali Najib of Arif Habib Ltd said broad-based buying on Wednesday was fueled by improved sentiment, partly due to Pakistan’s diplomatic role in facilitating US-Iran dialogue, which heightened hopes of regional stability.
Thursday’s intraday decline underscores the market’s sensitivity to geopolitical developments, highlighting volatility in the wake of recent global events.