PSX Slides Below 163,000 as US-Iran Tensions Trigger Market Selloff

Pakistan’s stock market ended another session in the red on Thursday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index falling 1.71 percent to close at 162,994 points.

Market participants remained cautious amid the ongoing standoff in the Middle East, where continued US naval restrictions on Iranian ports have prolonged uncertainty surrounding negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.

The situation has effectively kept the Strait of Hormuz under pressure, pushing global crude oil prices higher and triggering risk-off behavior across regional markets.

Heavyweight stocks led the decline.

United Bank Limited (UBL), Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL), Fauji Fertilizer Company (FFC), National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), Engro Holdings (ENGROH), and Lucky Cement (LUCK) collectively dragged the index down by 1,293 points.

Within the cement sector, Lucky Cement announced its financial results for 3QFY26, reporting earnings per share of Rs. 13.02, reflecting a 6 percent increase year-on-year but a 16 percent decline compared to the previous quarter.

The result fell short of market expectations due to weaker gross margins and lower contribution from associated companies.

Trading activity remained moderate, with total volume reaching 837 million shares, while the day’s traded value stood at Rs. 36 billion.