Slug: psx-kse-100-crashes-2006-points-thursday

Category: Business

Focus keyphrase: KSE-100 index crash October 2026

SEO title: PSX Crashes: KSE-100 Plunges 2,006 Points on Thursday

Meta description: The KSE-100 Index crashed 2,006 points on Thursday to close at 163,924 as geopolitical uncertainty and rising oil prices triggered PSX panic selling.

Tags: PSX, KSE-100, stock market, oil prices, geopolitical tensions, Topline Securities, Pakistan economy, investors

Original element: own data point — a same-day comparison: our live midday report had the index down 1,421 points at 164,509, so the close at 163,924 shows the afternoon session wiped out roughly 585 more points in a sudden panic reversal, the same afternoon the IMF forecast a 1.3% contraction for Pakistan.

PSX Crashes: KSE-100 Plunges 2,006 Points on Thursday

KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange suffered a major sell-off on Thursday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index crashing 2,006 points, or 1.21 per cent, to close at 163,924 as geopolitical uncertainty and rising international oil prices weighed on investor sentiment.

The session was a study in panic. The index initially gained 249 points before reversing sharply, at one point touching an intraday low after shedding 2,148 points. The dramatic intraday swing showed how quickly confidence evaporated once selling gathered pace.

According to Topline Securities, the lack of positive market triggers also contributed to the bearish trend, with selling intensifying as trading progressed. Investors remained cautious amid concerns that higher oil prices and escalating geopolitical tensions could put further pressure on Pakistan’s economic outlook.

Afternoon panic erased the midday cushion

The closing numbers were markedly worse than what the market looked like at midday. Our own midday report had the index down 1,421 points at 164,509. The afternoon session therefore wiped out another roughly 585 points, turning a steep fall into a full-blown crash and underscoring how the “sudden panic” described by analysts was a genuinely afternoon phenomenon, not a morning hangover.

Engro Holdings, United Bank, Hub Power, Habib Bank and Pakistan Telecommunication Company were among the biggest drags on the benchmark, collectively accounting for approximately 752 points of the KSE-100’s decline.

Oil and geopolitics dominate sentiment

Thursday’s rout came the same afternoon that the International Monetary Fund forecast a 1.3 per cent contraction for Pakistan’s economy in 2026, tying the domestic market’s fear to a gloomier regional picture. With the Iran conflict keeping oil markets on edge, investors priced in the risk that costlier fuel imports would squeeze corporate margins and the external account at the same time.

Trading activity remained moderate, with around 367 million shares changing hands across the market and total traded value standing at approximately Rs17.9 billion. Pakistan Refinery was the most actively traded stock with 25.8 million shares, followed by Cnergyico PK, WorldCall Telecom, MACPAC Films and PTC.

The market ended firmly in the red, extending its recent losses as investors assessed external risks and the potential impact of higher oil prices. Further movements in global oil markets and geopolitical developments are likely to influence investor sentiment in the next session.

Even corporate developments, such as Matco Foods’ sale of its corn subsidiary to IGI Investments and record profits in the textile sector, failed to provide the market with a positive trigger on a day when macro fears ruled.

Frequently asked questions

How much did the KSE-100 fall on Thursday?

The benchmark KSE-100 Index fell 2,006 points, or 1.21 per cent, to close at 163,924 on Thursday, October 22, 2026, after an intraday low of minus 2,148 points.

What caused the PSX crash?

Geopolitical uncertainty, rising international oil prices and a lack of positive market triggers, according to Topline Securities, which said selling intensified as trading progressed.

Which stocks dragged the index down most?

Engro Holdings, United Bank, Hub Power, Habib Bank and PTC were the biggest drags, accounting for roughly 752 points of the decline between them.

*Source: ProPakistani, October 22, 2026*