Monday, March 16 2026

Selling continues at bourse, KSE-100 down nearly 1,600 points in early trade
Selling continued at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) as tensions in the Middle East kept investors wary, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index shedding nearly 1,600 points during the opening minutes of trading on Monday. At 10:45am, the benchmark index was hovering at 152,299.86, down by 1,566.30 points or 1.02%. Selling pressure was observed in key sectors, including automobile assemblers, cement, commercial banks and power generation. Index-heavy stocks, including HUBCO, INDU, LUCK, HBL, MCB and MEBL, traded in the red. During the previous week, Pakistan’s stock market remained under sustained pressure as heightened geopolitical tensions, domestic security concerns and macroeconomic uncertainty continued to weigh heavily on investor sentiment.
Related news categories: business economic-indicators psx stock-exchanges

Asia shares wary, oil choppy on Hormuz doubts
Asian markets were in a wary mood on Monday as hostilities in the Gulf kept oil prices elevated, complicating ​an inflation outlook that should keep most central banks on pause at policy meetings this week, barring one possible hike. In a possible hint of ‌hope, the Wall Street Journal reported the Trump administration plans to announce as early as this week that multiple countries have agreed to form a coalition to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz. US President Donald Trump told the Financial Times it would be very bad for the future of NATO if the allies did not help. European Union foreign ministers will discuss on Monday bolstering a small naval mission ​in the Middle East, though any operation in the Strait would be fraught with risk.
Related news categories: business misc stock-exchanges

SECP increases Sahulat Account limit to Rs3 million
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) increased on Saturday the investment limit for Sahulat Accounts from Rs1 million to Rs3 million. The move aims to make stock market investment easier and more accessible for small retail investors, the SECP said in a press release today. SECP has also allowed investors to open Sahulat Accounts with multiple licensed securities brokers, however, investors can maintain only one Sahulat Account with each broker. “The reform aligns the framework with practices followed in the banking and mutual fund sectors,” the commission said. READ MORE: BISP Sahulat Account: SBP unveils revised facilitation framework The Sahulat Account was introduced to enable small investors to participate in the stock market through a simplified and user-friendly account opening process.
Related news categories: business chemical economic-indicators investment-copr psx stock-exchanges

Pakistan’s mobile phone imports jump 29.6% to $1.3bn in Jul–Feb
Pakistan imported mobile phones worth $1.295 billion in the first eight months (July-February) of the current fiscal year 2025-26 compared to $999.555 million during the same period of last year, registering a growth of over 29.59% growth. Official data revealed that in terms of rupees, the total value of mobile phone imports stood at Rs364.684 billion during July-February 2025-26, compared to Rs278.162 billion, registering 31.10% growth. On a month-on-month (MoM) basis, Pakistan’s mobile phone imports saw a 13.26% negative growth, totaling $155.547 million in February 2026, compared to $179.336 million in January 2026. Year on year mobile imports witnessed a 17.95% growth when compared to $131.870 million in February 2025.
Related news categories: business economic-indicators tech-comm

Pakistan faces heavy oil import bill, $1bn Eurobond repayment post-Eid: report
Pakistan exports have slowed down somewhat in the past two weeks ahead a heavy oil import payment and over $1 billion Eurobond repayment after the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr next week, according to Tresmark - a financial information terminal and treasury management platform. The platform that serves banks, financial institutions, and importers and exporters in the country added in its weekly commentary and outlook on domestic currency and the economy that Pakistan would smoothly make the two internaitonal payments on time without impacting rupee-dollar parity in the inter-bank market, with Eid related foreign currency inflows including workers’ remittances remain healthy. Pakistan, running under $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, would continue its strategy of keeping imports within the available resources that are being generated through export proceeds and inflows of workers’ remittances, as “Pakistan is unlikely to burn through reserves to defend the rupee”, according to the report.
Related news categories: business misc oilgas-exploration oilgas-marketing