After bloodbath a day earlier, Pakistan stocks gain in line with global recovery

A stock broker records video on his phone during a trading session at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) as index plummeted amid a global market crash, in Karachi on April 7, 2025. (AFP)
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Updated 08 April 2025
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After bloodbath a day earlier, Pakistan stocks gain in line with global recovery

  • Pakistan Stock Exchange fell to intraday low of 8,687 points on Monday, largest intraday point-wise drop in PSX history
  • Major stock indexes plunged on Monday after US President Trump announced tariffs on goods imported from the rest of the world

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan stocks closed at 115,532, gaining 623 points (0.54 percent) on Tuesday, a day after the Pakistan Stock Exchange fell to an intraday low of 8,687 points, the largest intraday point-wise drop in PSX history.

Major stock indexes plunged on Monday after US President Donald Trump announced tariffs on goods imported from the rest of the world, saying a 10 percent tariff on all nations and much higher rates of up to 50 percent on individual countries will boost the US economy and protect jobs.

“In line with the global trend, the market saw a recovery,” Topline Securities said in its daily market review. “A total of 526 million shares were traded, with a turnover of Rs 33 billion.”

Major stock markets jumped on Tuesday after three days of heavy selling while US Treasury yields rose for a second day as investors were optimistic that Washington might be willing to negotiate on some of its aggressive tariffs. Oil prices rebounded as well, helping lift energy shares. European shares also rose from 14-month lows on Tuesday after four straight sessions of heavy selling, although investors’ mood remained sensitive to tariff-related developments. Britain’s main indexes also recovered from their lowest levels in more than a year, as investors looked for any indication of Washington softening its stance on the aggressive tariffs that have roiled global markets over the last few days.

Pakistan is sending a commerce ministry team to negotiate a 29 percent tariff on Pakistani goods announced by Washington last week. 


In rare engagement, KP raises fund release issues with Pakistan’s federal authorities

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In rare engagement, KP raises fund release issues with Pakistan’s federal authorities

  • PTI-ruled Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has previously complained of limited financial cooperation from Islamabad
  • Talks follow a rise in militant violence in the province and a PM-CM meeting on security and development

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb met Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Finance Adviser Muzamil Aslam on Tuesday to discuss the release of funds under the National Finance Commission (NFC) and other fiscal matters, in a rare instance of visible engagement despite strained relations between the two sides.

The KP government, led by the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of the jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, has in the past complained of a lack of financial cooperation from Islamabad.

The talks came amid a rise in militant violence in and around KP’s tribal districts, which were merged into the province in 2018 but continue to face acute development challenges.

“The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa team highlighted the operational and development imperatives in the merged districts and underscored the importance of predictable and timely releases to sustain ongoing schemes and meet pressing needs on the ground,” the finance ministry said in a statement circulated after the meeting.

“The Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue listened to the issues raised by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa delegation and reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to cooperative federalism and constructive engagement with the provinces,” it added.

The finance minister assured the KP team of the ministry’s support “in pursuing and facilitating their rightful claims for allocations under the NFC and other relevant heads discussed during the meeting, in accordance with applicable rules, agreed frameworks, and due process.”

The ministry said discussions also covered ongoing consultations on NFC-related matters, including technical discussions and sub-group engagements, with both sides agreeing to maintain close coordination through relevant forums to address outstanding issues and support development objectives and service delivery.

The conversation between the KP and federal authorities came only a day after a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi in which they discussed closer collaboration on security and development.

The meeting was notable given Pakistan’s deeply polarized political landscape where Sharif’s administration and Khan’s PTI party have mostly hurled accusations against each other, making such institutional engagements rare between them.