Business
Stocks fall modestly over investor caution | The Express Tribune
KARACHI:
The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) fell modestly on Thursday as investors remained cautious owing to the dearth of major positive cues that could revive interest and build confidence.
In a major news report, the global indices provider, MSCI, announced results of its latest review, where it made changes in global indices constituents, effective from the market close on November 24, 2025. Arif Habib Limited (AHL), in its report, mentioned that Pakistan’s market outperformed the MSCI Frontier Market (FM) index by 14.6% in fiscal year 2026 to date.
Earlier, the bourse opened on a positive note and hit the intra-day high of 160,591 points in the very first hour of trading. However, it could not sustain the momentum as selling pressure built, which pulled the benchmark KSE-100 index down to the intra-day low of 158,253 well before midday.
Though the market recovered significantly, it again fell later and closed with modest losses amid lacklustre trading, influenced by the cautious mood of investors. At close, the KSE-100 index posted a decline of 481.40 points, or 0.30%, to settle at 159,096.79.
Topline Securities, in its review, remarked that the stock market lost steam after a lively start to the week. “The market remained lacklustre, with sentiment weighed down by the absence of any major news flow. After oscillating between the intra-day high of 1,012 points and low of 1,325 points, the KSE-100 index eventually settled at 159,097, losing 481 points,” it said. “With no clear drivers in sight, investors chose to stay cautious, leading to another session of muted trading and range-bound activity.” Losses were largely driven by UBL, Meezan Bank, OGDC, Maple Leaf Cement and Engro Holdings, which eroded 285 points from the index, Topline added.
AHL mentioned that Pakistan’s weight in the MSCI FM standard index was expected to be around 6.67%. In the review, Meezan Bank, The Bank of Punjab (BOP) and Askari Bank were added to the FM Standard Pakistan Index. Meanwhile, no deletion was observed.
Overall trading volumes increased to 957.3 million shares compared with the previous tally of 860.3 million. The traded value of shares stood at Rs30.4 billion.
Shares of 476 companies were traded on the ready market, out of which 199 closed higher, 230 declined and 47 remained unchanged.
Bank Makramah led the volumes chart with trading in 93 million shares, losing Rs0.18 to close at Rs5.50.
Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) forwarded a summary to the federal government suggesting an increase of Rs4.39 per liter in petrol price for the next fortnight.
After approval from the federal government, one liter of petrol will be sold at Rs257.56 instead of Rs253.17 per liter.
The price of high-speed diesel (HSD) will be increased by Rs5.40 per liter.
After approval, the price of one liter of high-speed diesel will increase by Rs268.38 to Rs273.78.
The proposal to increase the price of kerosene by Rs4 per liter is also on the cards.
The OGRA also recommended increasing the price of one liter of light diesel by Rs6.55.
The new prices of petroleum products will be effective from February 16, 2026.
Due to tension between the USA and Iran, petroleum prices are likely to increase further.
The group, based in Solihull and Wolverhampton, says its vet bills are costing them more.
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RBI releases draft to revise Kisan Credit Card Scheme, standardizing crop cycles, extending loan tenure to six years, and aligning credit limits with cultivation costs.
From Crop Cycles To Loan Tenure: 4 Key Changes In RBI’s KCC Proposal
Kisan Credit Card Scheme: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released draft directions to revise the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme, aiming to expand coverage, streamline operations, and align credit norms with evolving agricultural needs.
Standardized Crop Cycles And Extended Loan Tenure
As outlined in the draft, crop seasons have been standardized to introduce uniformity in loan sanctioning and repayment schedules. Short-duration crops will now be treated under a 12-month cycle, while long-duration crops will follow an 18-month cycle.
Example:
A farmer growing paddy or wheat (harvested in a few months) will follow a 12-month loan cycle.
A farmer growing sugarcane (which takes 12–18 months) will get an 18-month cycle.
To better align loan tenure with these crop cycles, especially for longer-duration crops, the overall tenure of the KCC facility has been extended to six years. The move is expected to provide farmers with greater flexibility in repayment and reduce rollover pressures.
Example:
If a farmer growing sugarcane faces a bad monsoon in Year 2, he doesn’t have to rush repayment immediately. The 6-year window gives more breathing space and reduces pressure to take fresh loans to repay old ones.
The draft directions apply to Commercial Banks, Small Finance Banks, Regional Rural Banks, and Rural Co-operative Banks, indicating a system-wide implementation once finalized.
Drawing Limits Linked To Cost Of Cultivation
The RBI has proposed aligning drawing limits under the KCC scheme with the scale of finance for each crop season . This adjustment aims to ensure that farmers receive credit in line with the actual cost of cultivation, addressing concerns around under-financing.
Example:
If growing cotton in a district costs Rs 60,000 per acre (as per agriculture department data), banks will align KCC limits accordingly — instead of giving a lower, outdated amount like Rs 40,000.
In addition, the draft expands eligible components under the KCC framework. Expenses related to technological interventions—such as soil testing, real-time weather forecasts, and certification for organic or good agricultural practices—have been included within the existing 20% additional component earmarked for repairs and maintenance of farm assets .
Example:
If a farmer wants to:
- Test soil before sowing
- Subscribe to real-time weather alerts
- Get organic farming certification
These costs can now be covered under KCC instead of paying from pocket.
What Is Kisan Credit Card Scheme?
The Kisan Credit Card scheme aims at providing adequate and timely credit support from the banking system under a single window with flexible and simplified procedures to the farmers for their cultivation and other needs.
The KCC scheme was introduced in 1998 for the issue of Kisan Credit Cards to farmers on the basis of their holdings for uniform adoption by the banks so that farmers may use them to readily purchase agriculture inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides etc. and draw cash for their production needs.
KCC covers post-harvest expenses, produce marketing loan, consumption requirements of farmer households, working capital for maintenance of farm assets and activities allied to agriculture, investment credit requirement for agriculture and allied activities.
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February 14, 2026, 12:49 IST
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