Pakistan’s equity market endured a historic rout on Monday as investors reacted sharply to escalating geopolitical tensions following last week’s Israel-US strikes on Iran, triggering the steepest single-day fall in point terms in the benchmark’s history.

The KSE-100 Index at the Pakistan Stock Exchange plunged 16,089 points, or 9.57 percent, to settle at 151,972 points, compared with 168,062 points at the previous close. The dramatic slide wiped out a substantial portion of recent gains amid widespread panic selling.

Trading activity remained heavy, with 479.7 million shares changing hands during the session. The total value of traded shares stood at Rs 44.98 billion by the close of business.

Out of 567 listed companies that participated in trading, only 21 managed to post gains, while 413 ended in the red. The share prices of 133 companies remained unchanged, underscoring the broad-based nature of the selloff.

Market analysts noted that despite relative stability in key macro indicators — including the Pakistani rupee, bond yields, and the benchmark Karachi Interbank Offered Rate (KIBOR) — equities faced intense pressure. According to Topline Securities CEO Mohammed Sohail, the decline was largely driven by profit-taking and correction after an extended 2.5-year bull run that had left valuations stretched.

Among the most actively traded stocks were K-Electric (KEL), WorldCall Telecom (WTL), First National Equities Limited (FNEL), The Bank of Punjab (BOP), Cnergyico PK (CNERGY), National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), and Hum Network Limited (HUMNL), all of which closed lower amid heightened investor uncertainty.

The sharp downturn reflects growing risk aversion in the wake of regional instability, with investors opting to trim positions amid fears of further escalation in the Middle East.