KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange witnessed a sharp decline at the start of the trading week, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index dropping by more than 5,000 points amid rising geopolitical tensions.
The market opened on a negative note following reports of a potential blockade of Iranian ports by the United States, which triggered uncertainty across regional financial markets.
During intraday trading, the KSE-100 Index fell to 161,659 points, compared to its previous close of 167,191 points at the end of last week.
The downturn was not limited to Pakistan, as broader Asian markets also came under pressure due to the breakdown of US-Iran talks.
According to reports, South Korea’s KOSPI Index declined by 2.08 percent, while Japan’s Nikkei Index dropped by around one percent. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index also recorded a decline of more than one percent, and China’s Shanghai Composite Index showed a slight negative trend.
Market analysts attribute the sharp losses to investor concerns over escalating tensions in the Middle East, particularly fears of disruption in global oil supplies and trade routes, which could have widespread economic consequences.
