March 09, 2026 (MLN): The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) opened Monday’s session under heavy pressure as escalating geopolitical tensions and a sharp rise in global oil prices dampened investor sentiment.
Market sentiment remained fragile after global crude prices jumped past the $110-per-barrel mark when Iran moved to close the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy shipments, triggering strong reactions across international energy and financial markets.
The global crude prices increase has also pushed fuel prices sharply higher in Pakistan. The federal government raised the prices of petrol and high-speed diesel by Rs55 per litre, taking petrol to Rs321.17 per litre from Rs266.17 and high-speed diesel to Rs335.86 per litre from Rs280.86, effective from midnight on March 7, 2026, amid the spike in global oil prices.
Sustained increases in energy costs could force some industries to scale back operations or temporarily shut down plants due to rising production expenses, adding further pressure on businesses and the broader economy.
As of the early trading session, the benchmark KSE-100 Index was recorded at 148,042.88, showing a decline of 9,453.22 points or 6%, reflecting widespread selling across key sectors.
The index traded within a range of 2,144.45 points, touching an intraday high of 150,174.09 (-7,322.01) and a low of 148,029.64 (-9,466.46) during the early hours of trading.
The total volume of the KSE-100 Index stood at 20.53 million shares.
Out of the 100 index companies, 3 traded higher, 88 declined, 1 remained unchanged, while 8 remained untraded, indicating broad-based weakness across the market.
Among the top early losers were UNITY (-10.57%), AIRLINK (-10.00%), CHCC (-10.00%), BNWM (-10.00%), and FABL (-10.00%). On the other hand, top gainers included ABL (+2.89%), PSEL (+2.39%), JDWS (+1.51%), FHAM (+1.02%), and RMPL (+0.71%).
In terms of index-point impact, companies weighing heavily on the index included FFC (-1182.38pts), ENGROH (-738.70pts), UBL (-647.37pts), LUCK (-578.53pts), and HUBC (-546.35pts). Meanwhile, companies providing limited support were ABL (+19.36pts), POL (+14.65pts), FHAM (+0.97pts), SHFA (+0.00pts), and PSEL (+0.00pts).
Sector-wise, the KSE-100 Index was dragged lower by Commercial Banks (-2189.07pts), Fertilizer (-1677.74pts), Cement (-1248.75pts), Investment Banks / Investment Companies / Securities Companies (-819.64pts), and Oil & Gas Exploration Companies (-737.95pts).
In the broader market, the All-Share Index stood at 89,486.42, showing a loss of 4,740.58 points or 5.03%.
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