The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) opened on a strong note on Thursday, with the KSE-100 Index gaining more than 1,200 points in early trading.
By 9:50 am, the benchmark index stood at 166,508.03, marking an increase of 1,241.29 points or 0.75%. Buying was observed in key sectors, including automobiles, cement, commercial banks, oil and gas exploration, OMCs, and power generation. Major stocks such as MARI, OGDC, POL, PPL, HUBCO, PSO, SSGC, SNGP, and UBL traded in positive territory.
The surge followed positive developments in discussions between Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Officials reported significant progress toward a staff-level agreement (SLA) under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). The IMF stated that program implementation remains strong and broadly aligned with Pakistan’s commitments.
Earlier, on Wednesday, the KSE-100 Index had experienced a volatile session. It closed at 165,266.75 points, down 907 points or 0.55%, as early optimism faded amid aggressive institutional selling.
Global markets also influenced local trading. Asian stock markets, led by AI-related technology shares, recorded new highs. Japan’s Nikkei gained 1.5%, Taiwan’s markets rose 1.2%, and MSCI’s broad Asia-Pacific index increased 0.3%. Meanwhile, gold remained above $4,000, the US dollar retained recent gains, and oil prices eased slightly after Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire.
Analysts say the strong opening of the KSE-100 reflects renewed investor confidence, supported by progress in IMF talks and positive international market trends. The bullish momentum is expected to continue if local and global economic conditions remain stable.
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