PSX: selling engulfs bourse, KSE-100 sheds nearly 1,500 points

Selling returned to the Pakistan Stock Exchange on Friday, with the KSE-100 down 1,494.09 points, or 0.85%, to 173,885.77 at 12pm. This followed the previous session’s 3,366.38-point advance, which took the index to 175,379.87.

Ismail Iqbal Securities said investors could take profits ahead of the long weekend, while geopolitical uncertainty and stalled peace negotiations were weighing on sentiment. Separately, SBP reserves rose by $39 million to $21.56 billion in the week ended October 30, while the World Bank reported Pakistan’s external debt increased 4% to $135.1 billion in 2025. Global markets were also under pressure: South Korea’s KOSPI, Japan’s Nikkei and Taiwan’s market fell sharply amid concerns about AI investment and regulatory scrutiny.