KSE-100 plunges nearly 9,800 points, trading halted early Monday

Pakistan’s benchmark KSE-100 index plummeted 9,780.15 points around 9:20am on Monday, triggering a temporary halt in trading.

Trading at the Pakistan Stock Exchange was suspended after a sharp decline of 6.21 per cent.

The sell-off comes amid escalating geopolitical tensions and a surge in global oil prices, which have weighed heavily on investor sentiment.

The index was halted at 147,715.95 points, marginally above its intraday low of 147,710.26 points.

The latest slide follows a particularly turbulent week for the market, with heightened volatility reflecting investor concerns over external risks and macroeconomic uncertainty.

According to Reuters, oil prices surged around 25pc on Monday to their highest since mid-2022.

Brent is on track ‌for a record one-day gain, while gold fell 2pc as escalating geopolitical tensions are putting particular pressure on world energy supplies.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to unveil an austerity plan on Monday in view of the global fuel crisis.

Last week, the government increased the prices of petrol and high-speed diesel by Rs55 per litre, the highest-ever such hike, as the country felt the first direct economic impacts of the ongoing regional conflict.