The Pakistan Stock Exchange’s (PSX) benchmark KSE-100 Index closed flat after recovering from over 1,000-point loss it had incurred during intra-day trading on Monday.
The KSE-100 witnessed selling pressure in the first half to hit an intra-day low of 113,077.67, a loss of over 1,000 points as compared to the previous close.
However, the index managed to recover most of its losses through some buying in the final hours.
At close, the benchmark index settled at 114,102.24, marginally down by 11.70 points or 0.01%.
The recovery was mostly helped by key stocks like FFC, DGKC, FCCL, POIC, and MLCF, which together added about 276 points to the index, according to the post-market report by brokerage house Topline Securities.
The Friday’s decline in the first half was observed amid media reports suggesting that Indian airstrikes could be imminent, after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a significant 40-minute meeting with Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari on Sunday.
Investors were also waiting for the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decision on the policy rate. The central bank, in its statement later during the day, announced to cut the key policy rate by 100bps to take it to 11%.
During the previous week, PSX remained volatile amid escalating geopolitical tension between Pakistan and India. The benchmark KSE-100 Index shed 1,355.41 points, or 1.2%, on a week-on-week basis, closing at 114,114 points compared to 115,469 points in the previous week.
Globally, Indian shares held firm on Monday, supported by easing global trade tensions, steady foreign inflows, and a drop in crude prices that lifted investor sentiment.
The Nifty 50 was up 0.59% at 24,487.14 and the BSE Sensex gained 0.54% to 80,936.4 as of 10:03am IST.
The benchmarks logged their longest weekly winning streak so far in 2025 on Friday, helped by renewed optimism over a potential India-U.S. trade deal.
Foreign portfolio investors (FPI) scooped up Indian shares for the 12th consecutive session on Friday, their longest daily buying streak in two years.
However, the gains have been capped by somewhat muted March quarter earnings season so far and geopolitical concerns, two analysts said.
Volume on the all-share index increased to 399.54 million from 372.36 million recorded in the previous close.
However, the value of shares declined to Rs19.85 billion from Rs23.28 billion in the previous session.
Power Cement was the volume leader with 41.34 million shares, followed by WorldCall Telecom with 23.85 million shares, and Maple Leaf with 23.57 million shares.
Shares of 452 companies were traded on Monday, of which 240 registered an increase, 155 recorded a fall, while 57 remained unchanged.
