Asian Markets Rise While Pakistan Stock Exchange Faces Decline at Week Start

KARACHI: At the beginning of the new trading week, Asian equity markets showed a positive trend, while the Pakistan Stock Exchange experienced a downward movement.

In early trading, the benchmark KSE-100 index of the Pakistan Stock Exchange dropped by 0.7 percent, losing 1,199 points to reach 169,472 points, reflecting bearish sentiment in the local market.

In contrast, major Asian markets posted gains. Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose by 1.6 percent, while South Korea’s KOSPI increased by 2.3 percent.

Thailand’s SET Index gained 1 percent. Meanwhile, China’s Shanghai Stock Exchange saw a modest increase of 0.15 percent, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose by 0.25 percent.

Analysts note that global markets are reacting positively to regional economic signals, while local investors in Pakistan remain cautious amid domestic financial pressures.