The Pakistan Stock Exchange’s benchmark KSE-100 Index continued its upward trajectory on Monday, trading at 170,960.91 points, up 1,096.39 points or 0.65 percent. During the session, the index reached an intraday high of 171,000.37, marking a gain of 1,135.85 points.
Investor confidence drives market momentum
Market activity reflected strong momentum, underpinned by several positive factors. The International Monetary Fund’s approval of a major loan package has bolstered investor confidence, while ongoing support from Pakistan’s traditional partners and stable foreign reserves continue to provide financial stability.
Strengthening remittances and robust domestic demand, evident in rising consumer activity, have further reinforced optimism for continued gains at the bourse.
So far, a total of 224.34 million shares have exchanged hands on the KSE-100 Index. Of the 100 companies listed on the benchmark, 67 advanced, 29 declined, and four remained unchanged. Leading the gainers were MLCF (+4.99%), ISL (+4.79%), SRVI (+4.46%), TGL (+4.25%), and SNGP (+3.26%).
On the losing side, KAPCO (-3.19%), LOTCHEM (-2.45%), NML (-1.21%), KTML (-1.12%), and DHPL (-0.75%) posted the biggest declines.
Monetary policy remains cautious
Despite the bullish sentiment at the stock market, leading economists remain pessimistic about a potential policy rate cut. The State Bank of Pakistan is widely expected to maintain tight monetary conditions at its upcoming Monetary Policy Committee meeting, scheduled for Monday. Analysts say IMF pressure to keep the policy rate “appropriately tight” limits the central bank’s flexibility to ease rates.
The bullish trend builds on last week’s strong performance, when the KSE-100 closed at a record high of 169,864.53 points, registering a week-on-week gain of 1.7 percent. Analysts attribute the rally to improving macroeconomic indicators and renewed investor confidence, which have fuelled broad-based buying across the market.
