Overview
- The KSE-100 closed at 157,496, falling 3,714 points or 2.3% on Friday after an early rise to 161,436 and a low of 157,073.
- Thursday’s 5,433-point surge to 161,211 was largely unwound, leaving the index down about 10,280 points, roughly 6%, for the week.
- Analysts linked the sell-off to escalating Gulf tensions and higher energy costs, with Brent crude quoted in the low-to-mid $80s and tighter shipping conditions weighing on sentiment.
- Trading thinned sharply versus the prior session as total volume roughly halved and large constituents including UBL, ENGROH, FFC, LUCK, HUBC, MEBL, SYS, OGDC and BAFL collectively subtracted about 2,100–2,162 points.
- Market participants adopted a defensive stance ahead of Monday’s State Bank of Pakistan policy review, where surveys pointed to an unchanged 10.5% rate, while the rupee was little changed near 279.40 per dollar.