The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) achieved a historic milestone on Thursday as the KSE-100 index crossed the 100,000-point mark, signaling renewed investor optimism and a strong start to the trading day.
By 9:42 AM, the benchmark index had gained 947.32 points (0.95%), reaching 100,216.57 points, up from its previous close of 99,269.25 points.
This achievement marks a significant recovery for the market, which just days earlier had dropped over 3,500 points due to violent protests in Islamabad that unsettled investor sentiment.
Trading activity remained robust, with over 154 million shares exchanged, amounting to a total value of Rs. 4.5 billion.
The positive momentum follows Wednesday’s strong performance, during which the index regained key levels—95,000, 96,000, 97,000, 98,000, and 99,000 points—before closing at 99,269.25 points.
Investor confidence has been buoyed by easing political tensions, optimistic economic indicators, and strong performances across key sectors.
On Wednesday, the KSE-100 recorded its largest-ever single-day surge, climbing nearly 4,700 points. This remarkable rebound came after Tuesday’s sharp sell-off, which saw the index plunge over 3,500 points amid growing political unrest.
The rebound was attributed to calming political tensions following the conclusion of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) protest in Islamabad. Key sectors, including banking, automobile, oil and gas, and power generation, played a vital role in driving the rally.
“Stocks reached a new all-time high, fueled by across-the-board interest after the easing of political noise and security concerns,” noted Arif Habib Corp MD Ahsan Mehanti. He highlighted upbeat economic indicators and speculation about declining inflation and rupee stability as critical factors behind the market’s bullish trend.
At the close of trading on Wednesday, the KSE-100 index had risen by 4,695.09 points (4.96%) to a historic high of 99,269.25 points.
Topline Securities highlighted the unprecedented intra-day gain of 4,975 points, crediting the rally to improved investor sentiment and easing political unrest. The trading floor witnessed strong activity, with banking, automobile, and energy sectors leading the charge.
Notable contributors to the upward momentum included Fauji Fertiliser Company, Habib Bank Limited, Systems Limited, Bank Alfalah, and Pakistan Petroleum, which collectively added 1,546 points to the index.
Despite the overall positive sentiment, a few stocks, including Meezan Bank (-1.5%) and Faysal Bank (-4.3%), experienced declines.
Analysts anticipate sustained bullish momentum, driven by improving macroeconomic indicators and easing yields on fixed-income securities.
Overall, 453 companies were traded during the day, with 356 stocks closing higher, 52 declining, and 45 remaining unchanged.
The Bank of Punjab emerged as the volume leader with 114.97 million shares traded, closing at Rs. 7.85 after gaining Rs. 1. Hascol Petroleum and K-Electric followed, with mixed performances.
Foreign investors, however, sold shares worth Rs. 1.88 billion, according to NCCPL data. Despite this, the PSX continues to reflect resilience and investor confidence, highlighting the broader potential for Pakistan’s economic growth.
