PSX remains volatile amid rising Pakistan-India tensions 

KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) continued to reflect volatility on Friday, the last trading day of the week, as growing tensions between Pakistan and India cast a shadow over investor confidence. After suffering sharp losses in the previous session, the market opened on a positive note but experienced sharp swings throughout the morning. 

At the opening around 9:15 AM, the benchmark KSE-100 index was up by 422.87 points at 103,949.68, with the trading volume standing at 289,129 shares. The momentum gained strength soon after, and by 9:41 AM, the index had surged by 2,419.2 points to reach 105,946.01, while the volume rose to 21,309,348 shares. 

However, the rally was short-lived as reports emerged that Pakistan had shot down nearly six Indian drones. The news triggered a sell-off, pulling the market into the red. By 10:03 AM, the KSE-100 index had dropped by 1,105.99 points to 102,420.82, with volume climbing to 47,148,169 shares. Despite this downturn, the index managed to stabilise after 10:27 AM and remained in positive territory through midday. 

By around 11:54 AM, the KSE-100 stood at 103,800.83, showing a gain of 274.02 points or 0.26 per cent. In year-to-date terms, the benchmark index remains down by 9.84 per cent, while it has gained 42.86 per cent over the past year. The 52-week range of the index shows a low of 71,781.96 and a high of 120,796.67. 

As of midday, notable gainers in percentage terms included Premier Insurance Limited, which rose by 17.16 per cent or Rs0.76 to Rs5.19, followed by Paramount Spinning Mills Limited, up by 16.37 per cent or Rs0.46 to Rs3.27. UDL International Limited also performed strongly, increasing by 12 per cent or Rs0.75 to Rs7. On the losing side, First Credit and Investment Bank Limited dropped by 12.55 per cent or Rs0.99 to Rs6.90, while 786 Investments Limited declined by 11.84 per cent or Rs0.90 to Rs6.70. PIA Holding Company Limited also faced pressure, falling by 9.79 per cent or Rs1.33 to Rs12.25. 

The PSX remained in positive territory after trading resumed following the Friday prayers. Around 3:20 PM, the benchmark KSE-100 index was trading at 105,334.42, showing a gain of 1,807.61 points, with the volume recorded at 154,052,604 shares. 

Previous KSE-100 close – Thursday, May 8, 2025 

In the previous session, the PSX had suffered one of its steepest single-day losses in recent months. The KSE-100 index closed at 103,526.81, down by 6,482.21 points or 5.89 per cent. The heavy decline followed reports of rising military tensions between Pakistan and India, with Indian drones reportedly intercepted over Karachi and Lahore. 

Investors reacted swiftly, triggering a wave of panic selling across key sectors, especially those sensitive to geopolitical developments. The market was eventually halted at 12:39 PM due to the sharp downturn. During the session, the index fluctuated within a wide range of 10,282.12 points, recording an intraday high of 111,881.02 and a low of 101,598.90. 

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