PSX nears 172,000 points milestone

KSE-100 surges 1,646 points to all-time high on strong current account data

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) extended its record-breaking rally on Thursday, nearing the 172,000 points mark.

PSX posted a strong bullish session as the KSE-100 Index closed at a fresh all-time high of 171,961 points, gaining 1,646 points (+0.97%).

"Buying momentum remained firm throughout the day, driven by better-than-expected current account figures for November, which improved investor confidence and encouraged fresh positioning across key sectors," said Ali Najib, Deputy Head of Trading at Arif Habib Ltd.

On the corporate side, MLCF announced a public offer to acquire 11.72% of Pioneer Cement at PKR 478.43 per share, in addition to an SPA for 58.03%, raising its total intended stake to 69.75%.

Meanwhile, the Nishat Group signed an SPA to acquire up to 75.69% of Rafhan Maize Products, with DGKC set to acquire a significant 32.71% stake, highlighting rising M&A activity. RMPL is a maize-based food processor with annual sales of Rs 75bn.

Fertiliser, Banks & Cement sectors' stocks contributed the most towards today’s rally as ENGROH, FFC, UBL, LUCK & BAHL added over 1500 points, collectively.

Market activity remained stable, with 947.7 million shares traded and total turnover reaching Rs 54 billion. TPLRF1 led the volume chart with approximately 75.8 million shares.

Looking ahead, the market may attempt to scale further highs in the final session of the week. However, sustaining the bullish momentum will hinge on a decisive weekly close above the 170k level, which would reinforce investor confidence and confirm the broader upward trend.