Bloodbath at PSX: KSE-100 Plunges Over 4,600 Points

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) closed deep in the red on Tuesday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index tumbling 4,654 points, or 2.85%, to settle at 158,443 amid heightened geopolitical uncertainty and persistent local political unrest. The session was marked by heavy volatility and sustained selling pressure, as the index plunged to an intraday low of 157,678, down 5,420 points at one stage, before recovering slightly by the close. Key sectors, including commercial banks, oil and gas exploration companies, and cement, led the decline, collectively dragging the index down by 2,566 points. Major laggards included BAHL, ENGROH, LUCK, OGDC, and MARI, which together shaved off 1,261 points from the benchmark. The pronounced downward trend reflected growing investor unease over escalating cross-border tensions and a deteriorating law-and-order situation, weighing heavily on market sentiment, said Topline Securities. Despite the sharp selloff, trading activity remained robust. Total traded volume surged to 1,361 million shares, with a traded value of Rs. 62 billion. K-Electric Limited (KEL) led the volume chart, with 197 million shares changing hands. Market watchers say the combination of geopolitical headwinds and domestic instability is likely to keep investors cautious in the near term.