PSX KSE-100 Index Drops 1.53% Amid Global Oil And Diplomatic Pressures

Investors lost 2,609.73 points on the Pakistan Stock Exchange as the KSE-100 index fell 1.53% to close the week ended October 2, 2026, at 168,155.49 after global oil prices swung and tensions between the United States and Iran persisted.

Weekly Index Movers at the Pakistan Stock Exchange

During the week ending October 2, 2026, at 168,155.49 points, the KSE-100 Index fell by 2,609.73 points, or 1.53%, compared to the September 25, 2026 level of 170,765.22 points. Selling pressure dominated trading sessions as investors grappled with persistent volatility in global crude oil markets and lingering uncertainty surrounding the US-Iran diplomatic situation. Sector-wise performance stayed negative across the board.

On the positive side, the Refinery sector provided the largest sectoral support by adding 44.42 points, followed by Leather & Tanneries with a gain of 19.42 points.

Weekly Market Roundup — Photo: mettisglobal.news

Among individual stocks, Attock Refinery emerged as the largest positive contributor by adding 66.79 points, followed by Pakistan Oilfields at 31.95 points, TRG Pakistan at 24.31 points, and Service Industries at 19.42 points.

Trading Volatility and Geopolitical Pressures on Friday

Trading on Friday experienced sharp intraday swings as market participants reacted to international reports that the United States was dispatching additional troops and carriers to the Middle East. Early selling dragged the benchmark index down to an intra-day low of 167,685.42 before a recovery pushed it to a high of 168,854.46 in the second half of the session. However, that upward momentum faded near the close, pulling the index back to settle at 168,155.49, down 481.36 points or 0.29% for the day.

Reflecting on the market conditions, brokerage house Topline Securities noted in its post-market report that investor participation stayed subdued due to a lack of fresh triggers, elevated crude oil prices, and the ongoing stalemate in US-Iran relations. Official Pakistan Stock Exchange figures confirmed that the benchmark index traded below the previous close of 168,636.85 points during the session, following a sharp decline of 1,332.47 points or 0.78% recorded in the Thursday session when profit-taking and broad-based selling across banks, exploration and production companies, cement, and oil marketing companies erased early gains above the 170,000-point threshold. Ali Najib, Deputy Head of Trading at Arif Habib Ltd, stated that the benchmark index carried forward the previous day’s fragile momentum while remaining on the sidelines due to geopolitical uncertainty. Topline Securities further reported that the top negative contributions came from Systems Ltd, Meezan Bank, Lucky Cement, National Bank, and Habib Bank, which cumulatively weighed the index down by 269 points.

PSX KSE-100 Index Drops 1.53% Amid Global Oil And Diplomatic Pressures — Photo: brecorder.com

Market activity stayed muted, with traded volume and value recorded at 492m shares and Rs17.45bn, according to reported figures. Official exchange data for Friday showed shares of 494 companies traded, of which 128 registered an increase, 321 recorded a fall, and 45 remained unchanged.

Pakistan Trade Deficit Expands as Imports Outpace Exports

Figures released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics revealed that the nation’s merchandise trade shortfall expanded to $3.6bn in September, driven by a 17.6pc year-on-year rise in exports to $2.9bn alongside an 11pc increase in imports to $6.5bn. For the first quarter of fiscal year 2027, the trade deficit expanded 15.13% year-on-year to $10.79 billion due to import growth outpacing exports. Meanwhile, annual Consumer Price Index inflation eased to 10.3% in September from 11.1% in August, while monthly inflation accelerated to 1.3% from 1.2%. Average inflation during the first quarter of fiscal year 2027 rose to 10.2% compared to 4.3% in the same period last year, and annual wholesale inflation climbed to 13.3%, while the Sensitive Price Index for the week ended October 1 rose 11.53pc year-on-year and 0.21pc week-on-week.

The local currency showed negligible movement, as the Pakistani rupee appreciated 0.01% in the inter-bank market on Friday to close at 277.07 against the US dollar.