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KSE-100 falls over 200 points as political uncertainty rattles market

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  • At close, benchmark KSE-100 index lost 200 points, or 0.46%, to end session at 43,653.33 points.
  • Stocks of 332 companies were traded, of which 110 gained in value, 205 declined, and 17 remained unchanged.
  • Arif Habib Ltd says market had opened in green zone and stayed volatile throughout day.

KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) ended the week on a negative note with benchmark KSE-100 closing in the red due to the political unrest in the country in the backdrop of the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The recovery of the rupee against the US dollar, remittances data, and decline in the international oil prices failed to attract market participants, who remained wary of the overall political situation.

At close, the benchmark KSE-100 index lost 200 points, or 0.46%, to end the session at 43,653.33 points.

Arif Habib Limited, in its post-market commentary, noted that the market had opened in the green zone and stayed volatile throughout the day. It added that the range-bound session was observed due to the “political unrest and overheated commodities cycle”.

Sectors contributing to the performance included commercial banks (-43.0pts), exploration and production (-42.0pts), cement (-40.1pts), power (-30.0pts) and oil marketing companies (-19.5pts).

Stocks of 332 companies were traded, of which 110 gained in value, 205 declined and 17 remained unchanged.

Overall trading volumes dropped to 149.29 million shares compared with Thursday’s tally of 271.90 million. The value of shares traded during the day was Rs5.26 billion.

TPL Properties was the volume leader with 12.27 million shares traded, losing Rs1.26 to close at Rs22.46. It was followed by Pak Elektron with 11.9 million shares traded, losing Rs0.67 to close at Rs1.82, and TPL Corporation with 9.39 million shares traded, gaining Rs0.03 to close at Rs10.06.

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In interbank trade, the Pakistani rupee beats the US dollar.

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In the international exchange market, the US dollar has continued to weaken in relation to the Pakistani rupee.

The dollar fell to Rs278.10 from Rs278.17 at the beginning of interbank trading, according to currency dealers, a seven paisa loss.

In the meantime, there was a lot of turbulence in the stock market, but it recovered and moved into the positive zone. The KSE-100 index recovered momentum and reached 116,000 points after soaring 1,300 points.

Both currency and stock market swings, according to analysts, are a reflection of ongoing market adjustments and economic uncertainty.

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Phase II of CPEC: China-Pakistan Partnership Enters a New Era

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The cornerstone of economic cooperation between the two brothers and all-weather friends is still the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the initiative’s flagship project.

In contrast to reports of a slowdown, recent events indicate a renewed vigour and strategic emphasis on pushing the second phase of CPEC, known as CPEC Phase-2, according to the Ministry of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives.

According to the statement, this crucial stage seeks to reshape the foundation of bilateral ties via increased cooperation, cutting-edge technology transfer, and revolutionary socioeconomic initiatives.

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal is leading Pakistan’s participation in a number of high-profile gatherings in China, such as the 3rd Forum on China-Indian Ocean Region Development Cooperation in Kunming and the High-Level Seminar on CPEC-2 in Beijing.

His involvement demonstrates Pakistan’s commitment to reviving CPEC, resolving outstanding concerns, and developing a strong phase-2 roadmap that considers both countries’ long-term prosperity.

At the core of these interactions is China’s steadfast determination to turn CPEC into a strategic alliance that promotes development, progress, and connectivity.

Instead of being marginalised, CPEC is developing into a multifaceted framework with five main thematic corridors: the Opening-Up/Regional Connectivity Corridor, the Innovation Corridor, the Green Corridor, the Growth Corridor, and the Livelihood-Enhancing Corridor.

With the help of projects like these, the two countries will fortify their partnership, and CPEC phase-2 will become a model of global economic integration and collaboration that benefits not just China and Pakistan but the entire region.

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The inflation rate in Pakistan dropped to its lowest level.

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On December 2, core inflation as determined by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) significantly slowed, falling to 4.9% in November 2024 from 7.2 percent in October 2024.

The CPI-based inflation rate for the same month last year (November 2023) was 29.2%, according to PBS data.

Compared to a 1.2% gain in the prior month, it increased by 0.5% month over month in November 2024.

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