New Delhi, Mar 7 (IANS): The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) took a hammering on Monday and the benchmark KSE-100 index dived nearly 1,500 points in intra-day trading at one point as the rising oil prices amid geopolitical tensions shattered investor confidence, Geo News reported.

The KSE-100, a benchmark for market performance, underwent selling pressure from the word go, falling below the 44,000-point mark during intra-day with volumes remaining on the lower side.

Market talk suggested that the uncertainty in international markets is the prime reason behind investors' dump-and-run approach at the PSX.

BMA Capital Executive Director Saad Hashemy said that the market was primarily down because of rising oil prices in the international market.

"The oil was last trading at $115 per barrel on Friday; however, the prices surged by $15 on Monday morning which impacted the financial markets worldwide," he said.

Oil prices soared more than 9 per cent, touching their highest since 2008, as the US and European allies mull a Russian oil import ban and delays in the potential return of Iranian crude to global markets fuelled tight supply fears.

Meanwhile, gold prices scaled the $2,000-level for the first time in a year-and-a-half, as investors rushed to the safety of the metal in the wake of an escalating Russia-Ukraine crisis, while supply disruption fears sent palladium to an all-time high.