Key Points
- KSE-100 Index hovered above 162,000 during intra-day trading on Friday.
- Sectors showing strong buying included automobiles, banking, fertiliser, oil and gas exploration, OMCs, and power generation.
- Index-heavy stocks such as OGDC, POL, PPL, PSO, WAFI, HBL, and MCB contributed to market stability.
- Market optimism supported by corporate developments and investor confidence, though global headwinds persist.
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) remained firm on Friday, reflecting steady investor interest and positive sentiment across key sectors, and the benchmark bagging almost another percentile.
Market participants focused on sectors likely to benefit from corporate earnings, policy developments, and liquidity conditions, keeping trading momentum intact.
The benchmark KSE-100 Index closed at 162,012.41 points, up 1,354.92 points or 0.84% compared to Thursday’s close. The intra-day session saw the index hover above the 162,000 mark, led by gains in banking, automobile assemblers, fertiliser, oil and gas exploration companies, OMCs, and power generation firms. Heavyweights, including OGDC, POL, PPL, PSO, WAFI, HBL, and MCB, contributed significantly to the upward movement.
Trading volume surged to 673.45 million shares, up from 625.30 million in the preceding session, while the total value of shares traded rose to Rs 34.65 billion compared to Rs 32.40 billion on Thursday. Market breadth was positive, with 280 companies advancing, 135 declining, and 22 remaining unchanged, out of 437 active companies.
On the corporate side, the Board of Directors at K-Electric postponed its meeting after one faction walked out following the approval of the first agenda item. The dispute, involving government and AsiaPak representatives, revolves around the potential removal of CEO Syed Moonis Abdullah Alvi. The Al-Jomaih Group of Saudi Arabia has reportedly issued a $2 billion legal notice over recent board activities.
Despite domestic optimism, investors remained mindful of international developments. Asian markets were lower amid hawkish statements from the US Federal Reserve, while Wall Street saw losses in technology stocks, including AI leaders such as Nvidia. These global factors tempered risk appetite in local trading.
Analysts advised monitoring corporate disclosures and liquidity flows closely, stating that while the local market demonstrates resilience, external and macroeconomic factors continue to influence the PSX’s direction.
