KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange ended the week on a positive note on Friday as investor sentiment improved on the back of regional developments and selective buying in key sectors.
According to the official PSX trading summary, the benchmark KSE-100 Index gained 83.91 points, or 0.05 percent, to close at 158,037.37. The overall traded volume increased to 2.04 billion shares from 1.95 billion shares a day earlier, while the value of shares traded stood at Rs 69.27 billion. The market capitalization rose by Rs 21 billion to Rs 9.86 trillion, reflecting a 0.2 percent increase.
Sectoral performance and stock movement
The index moved between an intraday high of 159,337.46 points and a low of 157,848.24 points as investors reacted to the signing of the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Analysts told Dawn the pact “lifted expectations of stronger geopolitical and economic stability, supporting buying in blue-chip counters.”
Leading gainers included Mari Petroleum, Engro Corporation, UBL, MCB Bank, and Fauji Fertilizer, which collectively added over 120 points to the index. On the other hand, TRG Pakistan, Sazgar Engineering, and Pakgen Power were among the main losers, shedding between 2 and 3 percent. According to the exchange’s bulletin, volume leaders were WorldCall Telecom, K-Electric, and Bank of Punjab, together contributing nearly 550 million shares to the day’s turnover.
Rupee remains steady against dollar
In the interbank foreign exchange market, the Pakistani rupee remained stable. The State Bank of Pakistan reported the closing rate at Rs281.44 per dollar, compared to Rs281.47 in the previous session. Independent tracking by Wise.com showed the mid-market rate around PKR281.42 per dollar. A currency dealer told Geo News that “routine importer demand was offset by healthy exporter inflows, keeping the rupee steady near the Rs281 mark.”
Regional snapshot and outlook
Regionally, India’s Sensex gained 0.3 percent while Saudi Tadawul and Dubai’s DFM posted gains on banking and oil-led buying. Market strategists told The Express Tribune that the KSE-100 is likely to consolidate around 158,000–159,000 points next week, with local institutional support intact but foreign investors continuing to trim positions, as per data from the National Clearing Company of Pakistan.
