Pakistan Stock Exchange Surges Over 800 Points Following Holiday Reopening

KARACHI:

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) climbed steadily at midday on Thursday, with the benchmark KSE-100 index rising 805.08 points, or 0.45 per cent, to close at 178,175.78.

Following a one-day suspension on Wednesday for Eid Miladun Nabi, the market saw robust buying momentum after the opening bell. By 9:40 a.m., the index had already gained over 1,100 points, stabilizing near 178,534 before reaching an intraday peak of 178,650.01. Profit-taking activity later tempered the rally, with the session’s lowest level recorded at 178,010.21.

The previous day’s closing value of 177,370.70 had positioned the index just below a critical resistance level that had repeatedly capped gains in recent sessions. Thursday’s trading demonstrated a sustained effort to remain above 178,000. Early market participation was concentrated in sectors such as automotive, cement, banking, oil and gas exploration, power generation, and refining. Prominent equities including HUBCO, MARI, OGDC, PPL, POL, HBL, MCB, MEBL, and UBL recorded notable upward movement during the morning session.

At mid-session, trading volume reached approximately 131 million shares, with a total value of Rs14.38 billion. Activity remained robust, with no signs of waning momentum.

Recent market movements had oscillated within a narrow 178,000–180,000 range, even when supported by banking and fertilizer stocks. A modest 404-point gain on Tuesday failed to break this pattern. The post-holiday rebound, buoyed by stronger regional trends in Asian markets, provided the index with a clearer pathway toward overcoming the 178,000 barrier. Sustaining a close above this level will depend on continued investor enthusiasm during the afternoon session.

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