Pakistan Economy: Geo-politics outweigh fundamentals – By JS Research
Nov 3 2025
JS Global Capital
- The KSE-100 Index corrected 7% from its recent peak, closing 2.3% lower MoM – its first decline after five months of MoM gains. Profit-taking by insurance companies, mutual funds, and foreign investors led to net selling of US$104mn amid geopolitical unrest. Notably, border tensions with Afghanistan weighed on sentiment, though markets recovered slightly following a ceasefire. Despite strong corporate results and IMF Staff level agreement, external political concerns overshadowed the positive developments. Top gainers included AKBL (+16%), ABL (+8%), ILP (+7%), and FFC (+6%), while trading volumes rose 7% MoM in Oct-2025.
 
- Oil prices (WTI) fell to a 5month low in October, closing at US$61/bbl, being the 3rd consecutive monthly decline. The drop was driven by supply-side concerns as OPEC members increased output and US production reached record levels. Meanwhile, the PKR/US$ appreciated by 0.1% MoM, closing at 280.91 – a 6 month high on the back of strong inflows. We believe the continuation of such trend could help in easing pressure on import bill and inflation.
 
