Thursday, March 12 2026

Seling grips bourse, KSE-100 sheds over 1,000 points in early trade
Selling pressure was observed at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) as geopolitical situation in the region remains tense, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index shedding over 1,000 points during the opening minutes of trading on Thursday. At 9:25am, the benchmark index was hovering at 154,812.88, down by 1,045.59 points or 0.67%. Selling was observed in key sectors, including automobile assemblers, cement, commercial banks, fertilizer, oil and gas exploration companies, OMCs, power generation and refinery. Index-heavy stocks, including ARL, HUBCO, MARI, OGDC, PPL, MCB, MEBL and NBP, traded in the red. In a key development, Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have made “considerable progress” in discussions on the third review of the country’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme, IMF mission chief Iva Petrova said on Wednesday, adding that talks will continue in the coming days to assess further the impact of recent global developments on the economy.
Related news categories: business economic-indicators psx stock-exchanges

’Considerable progress’ made in Pakistan talks, says IMF
Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have made “considerable progress” in discussions on the third review of the country’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme, IMF mission chief Iva Petrova said on Wednesday, adding that talks will continue in the coming days to further assess the impact of recent global developments on the economy. In a statement, she said that the IMF mission and the Pakistani authorities held discussions on the third review of the 37-month Extended Arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the second review of the 28-month arrangement under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). “While considerable progress was made in the discussions, these will continue in the coming days, including to more fully assess the impact of recent global developments on Pakistan’s economy and the EFF-supported program,” the IMF chief said.
Related news categories: business economic-indicators misc

Shares skid, oil surges again as Iran attacks Gulf shipping
Shares fell in ​Asia on Thursday as oil prices jumped on reports that more ships had been struck in the Strait of Hormuz and ‌in Iraqi waters, fuelling inflation and pushing borrowing costs higher worldwide. US crude rose 7.5% to $93.80 a barrel, extending a rise of more than 4% overnight. Brent crude futures jumped 7.7% to $99.03 a barrel. That was despite plans from the International Energy Agency to release 400 million barrels of oil from its reserves, the largest such move in its ​history. The US said it would release 172 million barrels of oil from next week, as part of the IEA plan. Two fuel ​tankers in Iraqi waters had been struck by explosive-laden Iranian boats, Iraqi security officials said early on Thursday, while ⁠an Iraqi official told state media that oil ports “have completely stopped operations.” “Multiple tankers loaded with Iraqi crude are now reported burning in the Persian ​Gulf off the coast of Basra, engulfed in flames and leaking burning oil into the water,” said Tony Sycamore, analyst at IG.
Related news categories: business misc stock-exchanges

‘Not just an OMC’: how PSO carving its path amid energy transition
Designed by Yasmeen Lari, one of Pakistan’s foremost architects, the PSO House in Karachi glimmers under the blistering sun. Inside the 10-storey glass-clad structure, hundreds of its employees could be seen working to carve out a new path for the oil marketing company (OMC) as it seeks to navigate a rapidly evolving energy transition. Established in 1976, following the merger of Premier Oil Company Limited (POCL) and State Oil Company Limited (SOCL), the country’s largest OMC, Pakistan State Oil (PSO), remains a vital cog in the country’s energy infrastructure. The listed company recorded a profit-after-tax (PAT) of Rs12.1 billion for the first half of the fiscal year 2025-26 (1HFY26) ended December 31, 2025, and maintained its leadership in the country’s white oil segment with a 42.2% market share, along with its near-total dominance in Pakistan’s aviation sector with a 99% market share in the jet fuel segment.
Related news categories: business economic-indicators oilgas-marketing psx stock-exchanges
Related symbols: pso (news stock)

Finance minister consults banks amid evolving regional situation
Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb on Wednesday held a virtual meeting with the Pakistan Banks’ Association (PBA) and senior leadership of major banks to review the evolving economic and financial situation in light of regional developments. The meeting, attended by PBA Chairman Zafar Masud and presidents of leading banks, focused on ensuring financial stability and uninterrupted banking services through close coordination between the government, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and the banking sector. The finance minister briefed participants on the government’s monitoring of the situation and steps being taken to assess potential economic implications. He said a high-level coordination mechanism comprising key economic ministries and relevant institutions had been established to continuously review developments.
Related news categories: business economic-indicators misc