KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) staged a partial recovery by mid‑day Monday, with the KSE‑100 index edging up 156 points to 174,094 after an early plunge of nearly 3,300 points, as investors weighed surging oil prices and escalating Iran–US tensions.
Trading volumes swelled to 474 million shares worth Rs24.7 billion, reflecting heavy churn amid uncertainty.
Latest Market Snapshot (11:25am, April 20, 2026)
- KSE‑100 Index: 174,094.99 ▲ +155.98 (+0.09%)
- All‑Share Index: 103,824.61 ▲ +23.67 (+0.02%)
- KSE‑30 Index: 52,879.22 ▲ +69.26 (+0.13%)
- KMI‑30 Index: 250,326.49 ▼ -429.18 (-0.17%)
- Banking Index (BKTI): 48,999.46 ▲ +485.65 (+0.99%)
- Volume: 474,239,000 shares
- Value: Rs24,736,586,329
- Trades: 236,951
- Market Breadth: 199 advanced, 261 declined, 105 unchanged (total 565 symbols)
Trading activity was intense, with 474 million shares changing hands worth Rs.24.7 billion across 236,951 transactions. Market breadth remained mixed: 199 symbols advanced, 261 declined and 105 stayed unchanged out of 565 listed.
Indices showed a patchy recovery. The All‑Share index added 23 points, the KSE‑30 rose 69 points, and the banking sector index gained nearly 486 points. However, the KMI‑30 index slipped 429 points, reflecting continued weakness in Shariah‑compliant counters.
The rebound came against a backdrop of global jitters. Brent crude surged nearly 6pc to $96 a barrel after the US Navy seized an Iranian‑flagged tanker near the Strait of Hormuz, raising fears of supply disruption. Conflicting signals over whether Tehran and Washington will resume talks deepened investor unease.
According to reports from market observers, heavy selling engulfed the bourse in early trade, with cement, banking, fertiliser, oil & gas exploration, OMCs, power generation and refinery stocks leading the decline. Index‑heavy names such as HUBCO, MARI, OGDC, POL, PPL, PSO, SNGPL, MCB, MEBL and UBL were among the hardest hit.
Analysts said the mid‑day recovery reflected bargain‑hunting and technical adjustments rather than a shift in sentiment. “The underlying risk remains — higher oil import costs could strain Pakistan’s current account and fuel inflation,” one brokerage noted.
With Gulf tensions unresolved and energy markets volatile, dealers expect the PSX to remain choppy through the week, with investors staying defensive until clearer signals emerge from Washington and Tehran.
