Equities fall 2.4pc as oil prices, geopolitical tensions unsettle investors

The KSE-100 lost 4,045 points, or 2.4 per cent, over the week to finish at 162,375, Dawn reported. Higher oil prices and geopolitical uncertainty weighed on sentiment, while investors also booked profits before the State Bank of Pakistan’s monetary policy announcement scheduled for Oct 26. Brent crude gained 6.4 per cent to $114.9 a barrel by Friday.

Banking, technology, investment banking, cement and power shares were the largest sectoral drags. Systems Ltd, Lucky Cement, Attock Refinery and Hub Power Company were among the biggest negative contributors, while Bestway Cement and Nestle Pakistan were among the positive contributors. Average daily trading volume declined 12.6 per cent to 393 million shares, although the average value traded rose 7.3 per cent to $69.7m.

The report also noted weaker revised GDP growth estimates for FY26, lower total foreign exchange reserves, and a marginal 0.03 per cent appreciation of the rupee to Rs276.82 against the dollar. Analysts cited the coming monetary policy decision and September-quarter corporate results as factors likely to steer trading, with the KSE-100’s price-to-earnings ratio at 7.02 times and dividend yield at 7 per cent.