Thursday, March 19 2026

Selling returns to bourse amid geopolitical tensions, KSE-100 down nearly 2,800 points
Selling pressure returned at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) amid escalation in the Gulf region, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index shedding nearly 2,800 points during the opening hours of trading on Thursday. At 10:40am, the benchmark index was hovering at 151,503.86, a decrease of 2,788.39 points or 1.81%. Selling was observed in key sectors, including automobile assemblers, cement, commercial banks, fertiliser, oil and gas exploration companies, OMCs, power generation and refinery. Index-heavy stocks, including ARL, HUBCO, MARI, OGDC, POL, PPL, HBL, MCB, MEBL and NBP, traded in the red. On Wednesday, PSX witnessed a strong bullish session with the benchmark index posting a sharp recovery amid improved investor sentiment, supported by easing international oil prices and renewed value hunting across key sectors. The KSE-100 Index closed at 154,292.26 points, registering a significant gain of 4,276.09 points or 2.85%.
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NBP conducts Merchant Sales Conference in Lahore
National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) conducted its Second Merchant Sales Conference in Lahore as part of its continued efforts to expand digital payments adoption and strengthen Pakistan’s cashless payments ecosystem. The conference was hosted by Golootlo, NBP’s debit card alliance partner, and brought together senior leadership from NBP, global payment schemes, fintech partners, and key stakeholders from Retail and Islamic Banking. The conference commenced with a keynote address by Rehmat Ali Hasnie, President & CEO, NBP, who outlined the Bank’s strategic vision for scaling digital payments, expanding merchant acceptance across urban and semi-urban markets, and positioning NBP as a leading driver of inclusive, secure, and interoperable digital payments nationwide.
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NGMS/5G licences’ award today: Jazz showcases 5G readiness to PTA delegation
Jazz showcased its 5G readiness to a delegation from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) during a visit to its headquarters in Islamabad on Wednesday, ahead of the formal award of Next Generation Mobile Services (NGMS)/5G licenses scheduled for Thursday (today). During the visit, a Jazz team showcased the network’s 5G capabilities, highlighting its readiness to deliver high-speed, next-generation connectivity and the performance potential of its upgraded network. Following the briefing, PTA officials joined the Jazz team for a live 5G experience testing on selected locations in Islamabad, experiencing the true essence of 5G through its speed, responsiveness, and real-time performance in the field.
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Pakistani employees facing new phenomenon of ‘digital anxiety’: survey
Pakistani employees are facing a new phenomenon of ‘digital anxiety’ which is becoming a defining feature of modern work culture, as employees don’t disconnect even during their free time and vacations. A new Kaspersky survey undertaken in the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa (META) region and Pakistan revealed pressure to remain constantly available is contributing to heightened stress levels in the workplace. Other sources of stress include work issues, for example 43 percent experience anxiety after accidentally sending a random message to a work chat. Interestingly, not all digital mishaps are perceived equally: 40 percent reported that they take it calmly when they send an unfinished email, proving that some mistakes are considered less damaging than others.
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Standardising taxes in construction sector: PM briefed about FBR-provinces talks
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was informed on Wednesday that discussions between Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and provincial authorities on standardising taxes in the construction sector are ongoing, while consultations on draft reforms for home mortgages continue. During a meeting of the Federal Ministry of Housing and Works, chaired by the PM, officials presented the ministry’s strategic roadmap, outlining efforts to overhaul the housing sector and strengthen regulatory oversight. The officials said that reforms are being introduced to streamline the tax structure for the construction industry, a step considered crucial for attracting investment and supporting large-scale housing initiatives.
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