KARACHI (Web Desk) – Trading was suspended at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Monday after the benchmark index plunged by more than 15,000 points, as escalating geopolitical tensions between Iran, Israel and the United States rattled investor confidence.
The KSE-100 index dropped 15,071.01 points to 152,991.15, marking a sharp decline of 8.97 percent from the previous close of 168,062.16. The dramatic sell-off triggered an automatic trading halt for one hour to prevent further losses and stabilise the market.
Market analysts attributed the steep fall to investor panic amid fears of a wider Middle East conflict following US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Concerns over regional instability, energy supply disruptions and rising oil prices intensified selling pressure across key sectors.
In global markets, Brent crude surged nearly 10 percent to around $80 per barrel in over-the-counter trading on Sunday, according to oil traders. Analysts warned that prices could spike toward $100 per barrel if hostilities escalate further, raising inflationary risks for oil-importing economies such as Pakistan.
The global oil benchmark had already climbed to $73 per barrel on Friday — its highest level since July — amid mounting speculation of imminent military action. Futures markets were closed over the weekend.
The sharp downturn at the PSX underscores the vulnerability of emerging markets to geopolitical shocks, particularly amid heightened Middle East tensions and global economic uncertainty.
