The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) staged a strong recovery on Friday, with investors returning to the market after encouraging economic data lifted sentiment and sparked broad-based buying across major sectors.
By 12:03pm, the benchmark KSE-100 Index had climbed 1,729.84 points, or 0.95 percent, to 182,989.51, recovering from Thursday’s decline. Earlier in the session, the index surged as much as 2,217 points to an intraday high of 183,477.57 around 11:11am before giving up part of its gains as some investors booked profits.
Trading activity remained healthy, with more than 211.3 million shares changing hands by midday. During the session, the benchmark moved between an intraday low of 181,880.54 and its peak of 183,477.57.
Market participants said buying was seen across most major sectors, including automobile assemblers, cement, commercial banks, fertiliser, oil and gas exploration companies, oil marketing firms and power generation stocks. Heavyweight shares such as HUBCO, Mari Energies, OGDC, Pakistan Oilfields, Pakistan Petroleum, PSO, SSGC, MCB Bank, Meezan Bank and UBL all traded in positive territory, providing strong support to the benchmark index.
The upbeat mood followed news that overseas Pakistanis sent a record $41.6 billion in workers’ remittances during the fiscal year 2025-26, marking the highest annual inflow in the country’s history. The record figure strengthened investor confidence in Pakistan’s external sector and added to expectations of improving macroeconomic stability.
Among the most actively traded stocks during the first half of the session were Cnergyico, K-Electric, LSE Capital, Trust Securities and WorldCall Telecom, reflecting continued interest in a mix of energy, financial and telecom shares.
On Thursday, the PSX experienced a volatile session as investors reacted to renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. However, selective buying in blue-chip companies helped the market recover from steeper losses before the close. The KSE-100 Index eventually finished the day at 181,259.68, down 369.69 points, or 0.20 percent.
Global markets also offered support to investor sentiment. Asian equities advanced on Friday, led by technology and artificial intelligence stocks, as traders largely shrugged off concerns over disruptions to energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz despite continuing military exchanges between the United States and Iran.
Oil prices remained elevated, with Brent crude on course for its strongest weekly gain since early May. Even so, prices eased from their recent highs, helping calm fears of a sharper rise in global inflation that could weigh on financial markets.
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