{
  "id": 16148642,
  "title": "Middle East tensions dent investor confidence",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/23/middle-east-tensions-dent-investor-confidence",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-23T02:05:57.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn Business",
    "slug": "dawn-business",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2039178/middle-east-tensions-dent-investor-confidence"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Karachi witnessed a sharp decline in investor confidence as tensions in the Middle East escalated on Thursday. The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) failed to maintain its overnight gains, with the KSE-100 index losing 2,006.67 points, or 1.21 percent, to close at 163,924.32. The index initially reached a high of 166,180.32 before plummeting to a low of 163,782.42, indicating heightened volatility and selling pressure.\n\nInternational oil prices surged following new Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia, fueling fears of prolonged conflict, surging energy costs, and rising inflation. These factors threatened macroeconomic stability, prompting investors to adopt a defensive stance. Major laggards such as Engro Holdings, United Bank, Hub Power, Habib Bank, Pakistan Telecommunication Company, Lucky Cement, Fauji Fertiliser, Attock Refinery, National Bank, and Pakistan Petroleum collectively contributed to the benchmark's decline, dragging it down by approximately 1,151 points.\n\nWhile some corporate entities released their quarterly results, highlighting earnings per share ranging from Rs36.84 to Rs41.02, overall investor participation remained modest. Trading volume dropped by 3.37 percent to 367 million shares, and turnover declined by 15.42 percent to Rs17.9 billion. Pakistan Refinery was the most active stock, with a trading volume of 25.8 million shares.\n\nAnalysts cautioned that the market would likely remain sensitive to geopolitical developments and fluctuations in international oil prices. Until clearer indications emerge, investors are expected to exercise caution.",
  "summary": "KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) failed to sustain its overnight recovery on Thursday, as escalating tensions in the Middle East shattered investor confidence, sparking fears of prolonged conflict, surging oil prices and rising inflation that threaten macroeconomic stability. Topline Securities Ltd said the benchmark KSE-100 index witnessed a sharp sell-off, shedding 2,006.67 points, or…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}