PSX plunges 1,965 points amid political chaos

The Pakistan Stock Exchange closed sharply lower on Monday, with the KSE-100 slipping 1,964.87 points, or 1.18 per cent, to end the session at 165,124.41. According to The Express Tribune, the slide came as political unrest in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and rising geopolitical tension weighed on investor confidence. The index swung widely during the session before settling lower.

Topline Securities linked the sell-off to the centre's move to impose emergency rule in K-P, which President Asif Ali Zardari endorsed on Sunday following a cabinet recommendation. Selling extended to oil marketing firms, carmakers, cement producers, power generators, commercial banks and exploration companies, with Oil and Gas Development Company, Habib Bank, Meezan Bank and Lucky Cement among the major laggards according to KTrade. Oil prices eased on hopes of greater Russian supply, though a Houthi attack on Riyadh's airport kept regional fears alive.

KTrade head of research Fawad Basir said June 2026 corporate results beat expectations, though higher commodity prices kept inflation elevated. Trading volume rose to 363 million shares from 309.4 million on Friday, with value of Rs14.5 billion. Of the 500 stocks traded, 135 closed higher, 322 fell and 43 were unchanged. Treet Corp led by volume with 27.3 million shares and closed Rs0.37 higher at Rs24.09.