Monday, April 13 2026

Pakistan’s stocks slump as US-Iran peace talks collapse
Massive selling pressure was observed at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) after the US and Iran failed to reach an agreement during their crucial talks in Islamabad. The benchmark KSE-100 Index shed nearly 5,200 points during the opening hours of trading on Monday. At 10:04am, the benchmark index was hovering at 162,057.43, down by 5,133.94 points or 3.07%. “The market landscape has shifted drastically this morning,” said Behtari Capital on Monday. “We are currently witnessing a flight to safety. In this high-volatility environment, cash is king. Until there is more clarity on the actual impact of the US blockade tonight, avoid catching a falling knife.” Selling was observed in key sectors, including automobiles, cement, commercial banks, oil and gas exploration companies, OMCs, power generation, and refineries. Index-heavy stocks, including ARL, HUBCO, MARI, OGDC, POL, PPL, PSO, SSGC, SNGPL and WAFI, traded in the red.
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Pak envoy to China stresses cooperation in multiple sectors
Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi has pitched expanded Pakistan–China cooperation in digital agriculture, climate-resilient farming and agri-innovation, while inviting Chinese investors to explore opportunities in Pakistan’s agriculture sector. During his visit to China’s Anhui province, the ambassador highlighted that rural development remains central to national prosperity, food security and social stability, stressing the need to empower rural women and youth through digital inclusion and agri-tech skills. In Hefei, he addressed the opening ceremony of the International Rural Innovation and Development (IRID) Expo-2026, describing it as a key platform linking the full industrial chain of rural development.
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Dollar jumps as failed US/Iran peace talks spark fresh safe-haven push
The safe-haven dollar advanced broadly in early Asian trade on Monday, as ​peace talks between the US and Iran broke down and the US Navy ‌prepared a blockade of Iranian ports. The euro was down 0.3% at $1.1684, while the British pound fell 0.5% to $1.3398. The risk-sensitive Australian dollar was 0.6% lower at $0.7030, and the New Zealand dollar was off 0.4% at $0.5816. US President Donald Trump said ​on Sunday the US Navy would start blockading the Strait of Hormuz ​after marathon talks with Iran failed to reach a deal to ⁠end the war, jeopardizing a fragile two-week ceasefire. The US Central Command said ​US forces would begin implementing the blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting ​Iranian ports from 10 a.m. ET (1400 GMT) on Monday. “Early and thin FX trading this morning is showcasing a risk-off mood, with the broad-based rally in the USD in response,” analysts from Westpac ​wrote in a research note. The Hungarian forint surged after veteran nationalist leader Viktor ​Orban lost power to the upstart centre-right Tisza party in Sunday’s national election after 16 years in ‌office.
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Gold falls on stronger dollar, fading Fed rate-cut hopes
Gold prices fell to a ​near one-week low on Monday, pressured by a stronger dollar, while a ‌surge in oil prices following failed US-Iran peace talks fuelled inflation worries and dampened expectations for Federal Reserve interest rate cuts this year. Spot gold was down 0.6% at $4,718.98 per ounce, as of ​0222 GMT, after hitting its lowest level since April 7 earlier in the ​session. US gold futures for June delivery fell 1% to $4,742. The dollar strengthened ⁠0.4% while oil prices jumped above $100 a barrel, as the U.S. Navy prepared ​a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz that could restrict Iranian oil shipments after the US ​and Iran failed to reach a deal to end the war. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards responded by warning that military vessels approaching the Strait will be considered a ceasefire breach and dealt with harshly and ​decisively.
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Oil up over 7% to above $100 ahead of US blockade on Iran
Oil prices climbed above $100 a barrel on Monday as the US Navy prepared to block ships to and fromIran via the Strait of Hormuz, a move that could restrict Iranian oil exports, after Washington and Tehran failed to reach a deal to end the war. Brent crude futures rose $6.96, or 7.3%, to $102.16 a barrel by 0430 GMT after settling 0.75% lower on Friday. US West Texas Intermediate was up $8.12, or 8.4%, at $104.69 a barrel following a 1.33% loss in the previous session. “The market is now largely back to conditions before the ceasefire, except now the US will block the remaining up to 2 million barrels per day Iranian-linked flows through the Strait of Hormuz as well,” said Saul Kavonic, head of energy research at MST Marquee. President Donald Trump said on Sunday the US Navy would start blockading the Strait of Hormuz, raising the stakes after marathon talks with Iran failed to reach a deal to end the war, jeopardising a fragile two-week ceasefire.
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