The KSE-100 index closed Monday’s volatile session in positive territory, gaining 663.59 points, or 0.41%, to settle at 163,038.47. After an early decline that pushed the benchmark down to an intraday low of 161,250.07, heavyweight buying in the final hours lifted the index to a peak of 163,477.09. Gains in the cement, investment banking, and oil & gas sectors spearheaded the recovery, though losses in select banking and fertilizer scrips capped the upside.
Later in the session, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) raised its key policy rate by 50 basis points to 12%, a move aligned with market expectations. The central bank cited geopolitical tensions and elevated global oil and commodity prices—Brent crude hovered near $115 per barrel—as primary drivers of domestic inflation concerns. Among individual movers, United Bank Limited, Lucky Cement, and Oil & Gas Development Company emerged as the top positive contributors, while Meezan Bank, Engro Fertilizers, and Habib Bank Limited weighed on the index. The session ultimately closed with equities rebounding even as borrowing conditions tightened for businesses.