PSX comes under heavy selling pressure as Middle East tensions weigh on investor sentiment

Pakistan’s KSE-100 was down 1,577.39 points, or 0.95%, at 164,353.59 by 1:00 pm on Thursday, according to PSX data cited by Profit by Pakistan Today. Earlier, the index fell to 164,186.90, more than 1,700 points below Wednesday’s close, as selling spread across multiple sectors.

The report linked investor concern to escalating Middle East hostilities, including new Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia, and the risk of interruptions to crude supplies. Brent crude rose 2.59% to $111.64 a barrel, while the IMF forecast a 1.3% contraction in output across the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan this year. The decline followed a 779.34-point gain in the previous session; Asian markets also fell, with technology shares among the notable decliners.