PSX: KSE-100 gains over 750 points, closes at new record high of 82,721

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a strong rally on Thursday as the benchmark KSE-100 Index gained 754.76 points, or 0.92%, closing at a new record high of 82,721.76. Positive sentiment prevailed, driven by improved economic indicators and increased buying across key sectors.

The rally saw gains in sectors including automobiles, cement, commercial banks, fertilizer, oil and gas exploration companies, and OMCs. Index-heavy stocks such as HBL, BAFL, FFC, EFERT, OGDC, PPL, and PSO traded in the green, reflecting optimism in the market.

The boost in sentiment followed a notable decline in the CPI inflation rate, raising expectations of a potential policy rate cut, which spurred investor confidence. Additionally, the government’s initiation of the T-bills buyback programme has also improved market liquidity.

On Wednesday, the PSX experienced mixed trading, with the KSE-100 Index fluctuating throughout the session before closing at 81,967.01, up by 162.41 points or 0.20%.

Trading Volume and Leaders

The all-share index saw a decrease in trading volume, with 319.88 million shares traded compared to 360.99 million on Wednesday. However, the value of shares traded rose to Rs16.41 billion from Rs15.39 billion in the previous session.

WorldCall Telecom led the trading with 23.24 million shares, followed by Fauji Cement with 21.63 million shares and Fauji Fert Bin with 15.26 million shares.

Out of 448 companies traded on Thursday, 207 registered an increase, 185 saw a decline, while 56 remained unchanged.

Rupee Marginally Weakens

On the currency front, the Pakistani rupee recorded a slight decline against the US dollar, depreciating by 0.03%. The rupee closed at 277.74 in the inter-bank market, down by Re0.10 compared to the previous day.