Operation Sindoor impact: Pakistan stock market crashes 5% after India strikes Pakistan terrorist camps

Operation Sindoor impact on Pakistan stock exchange: The Pakistani stock market's primary index plunged around 5% on Wednesday following India's overnight military operations at multiple terrorist facilities in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir.Indian authorities said nine locations containing terrorist infrastructure were targeted. The Indian military action was in retaliation for an April 22 incident in Jammu & Kashmir that resulted in 26 fatalities.The KSE-100 index experienced a significant decline of 6,272 points, equivalent to 4.62%, settling at 107,296. The index has recorded a cumulative decrease of 9,930 points since April 23.Meanwhile, the Indian stock markets demonstrated resilience, recovering swiftly from initial uncertainty triggered by the military action. The markets regained positive territory shortly after opening, displaying remarkable stability.Also Check | Operation Sindoor Live UpdatesThe continued presence of Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) remains a significant factor in market dynamics. "The main catalyst behind market resilience is the sustained FII buying over the last 14 sessions, totaling Rs 43,940 crore in the cash segment," said Dr. V.K. Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial. Additional supporting factors include favourable global conditions such as dollar weakness, moderated growth in the US and China, and reduced crude oil prices, contributing to India's strong market performance. Operation Sindoor has not disrupted this trajectory."What stands out in Operation Sindoor from the market's perspective is its focused and non-escalatory nature. We have to wait and watch how the enemy responds to these precision strikes. The market is unlikely to react significantly since the retaliatory strike was widely expected and already priced in," Vijayakumar added.Nevertheless, uncertainties persist. "Pakistan has termed the strikes an 'act of war' and promised retaliation," warned Prashanth Tapse, Senior VP (Research) at Mehta Equities Ltd. "Markets now hinge on three key triggers — the next military move, global tariff negotiations, and the US Fed's May 7 policy decision. Volatility is here, and Nifty's key support lies at 24,171."