Bloodbath at PSX: KSE-100 closes over 920 points lower amid economic headwinds

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) faced the impact of a series of major negative economic developments that occurred on Thursday, as the benchmark KSE-100 Index ended the final session of the week over 920 points lower.

Indices slipped lower and lower during the trading session as the benchmark index lost 1,092 points to register an intra-day low of 41,145.35.

At close, the index ended up at 41,314.88, a decline of 923.03 points or 2.19%. On a weekly basis, the benchmark index lost 3.61%.

The market witnessed across the board selling as all sectors reported hefty losses.

"The rise in prices of petroleum products and hike in electricity rates for the next fiscal year all acted as negative triggers for the investors," said Capital Stake in its post-market update.

KSE-100 drops 1.21% amid sharp increase in yields in secondary market

Selling pressure at the PSX comes as Moody's Investors Service announced that it has downgraded Pakistan’s outlook to negative from stable. It affirmed Government of Pakistan's B3 local and foreign currency issuer and senior unsecured debt ratings.

Shortly after Moody's announcement, the federal government said it is increasing petroleum prices by another Rs30 per litre, taking it to its highest level, to meet an International Monetary Fund (IMF) condition for the revival of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme.

From Moody's to Miftah: in case you missed Thursday's developments, here is a rundown

Finance Minister Miftah Ismail, while announcing the price hike, said that the increase was necessary for the IMF programme and other subsidies would also be withdrawn in the budget to be announced on June 10, 2022.

He also announced that the federal government has decided to end the tax amnesty scheme announced by the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. The scheme would not be extended.

Meanwhile, Moody's cited Pakistan's heightened external vulnerability risk and uncertainty around the sovereign's ability to secure additional external financing.

“A lot of developments on the economic front have led to this reaction in the market,” Sana Tawfik, vice-president of research and a senior analyst at Arif Habib Limited (AHL), told Business Recorder.

She said that the petroleum price hike, Moody’s downgrade of Pakistan's outlook and the decline in foreign exchange reserves were all negative developments.

“Inflation is projected to jump up to at least 16% or, in case of a further hike in POL rates, to 18%,” said Tawfik.

She added that the markets would remain under pressure in the upcoming budget week, where the government is expected to announce further removal of subsidies.

“However, the pressure may subside, if the Chinese loan rollover deal is materialised,” she added.

AHL in its latest report said that Moody’s decision of downgrading the outlook to negative would have a “spillover effects on local/foreign currency bond yields by a way that it influences country’s degree risks”.

“This will cause impediments for much needed Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), which recorded an inflow of $1.5 billion (-2% YoY) in 10MFY22. That said, the news of downgrade might not bode well for Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI),” it said.

Sectors dragging the benchmark KSE 100 index lower included banking (184.11 points), cement (130.35 points) and fertiliser (96.02 points).

Volume on the all-share index increased to 225 million from 157 million on Thursday. The value of shares traded marginally improved to Rs5.99 billion from Rs5.29 billion recorded in the previous session.

K-Electric Limited was the volume leader with 30.06 million shares, followed by Pak Refinery with 21.76 million shares, and Cnergyico PK with 20.27 million shares.

Shares of 335 companies were traded on Friday, of which 61 registered an increase, 262 recorded a fall, and 12 remained unchanged.