The Pakistan Stock Exchange began the final trading session of the year on a strong footing, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index crossing the 175,000 mark for the first time in history during early trade on Wednesday.
At 9:55am, the index stood at 175,074.18, up by 601.39 points or 0.34 percent. The rally briefly gathered more pace minutes later, pushing the market to an intraday high of 175,232.90 around 9:59am, when traded volume was recorded at just over 46.18 million shares.
However, the early excitement did not last through the session. By around 12:04pm, selling pressure pulled the index into negative territory, with the benchmark slipping to 174,006.20, down 466.59 points from the previous close.
Early rally led by key sectors
Buying interest was seen across several heavyweight sectors at the open. Automobile assemblers, cement, commercial banks, fertiliser, oil and gas exploration firms, oil marketing companies and power generation stocks all traded higher during the early phase.
Index-heavy names such as HUBCO, MARI, POL, PPL, OGDC, PSO, HBL, MEBL and MCB remained in the green during the morning rally, helping the market touch a fresh historic peak.
Market participants said optimism carried over from the previous session, when the KSE-100 closed at a record high, supported by positive economic signals and strong institutional buying.
Most active stocks in trade
Activity remained concentrated in a handful of lower- and mid-priced stocks. K-Electric was among the most traded, rising to Rs5.90, up by 0.18 rupees or 3.15 percent. TSBL edged up to Rs4.00, while PIA Holding Company A climbed 5.73 percent to Rs33.61.
Other active names included PIBTL at Rs18.92, AGHA at Rs8.63 and PAEL at Rs57.60, all posting gains. CNERGY, SYM, STPL and SLGL also featured among the top traded stocks, mostly holding positive ground during the session.
Advancers and decliners
On the gainers’ side, TCORPCPS led with an increase of over 11 percent to Rs9.98. QUICE, IDRT, KPUS, SEL and DMC all rose by around 10 percent. PIA Holding Company B surged to Rs19,540.58, adding more than Rs1,776, while IDSM and PAKQATAR also posted strong gains.
Meanwhile, pressure was visible in selected stocks. HBL Asset Fund Limited topped the decliners, falling 10 percent to Rs478.35. ASLPS and ASLCPS lost close to 10 percent each, while LSE Venture, FIL, ELSM and DWTM also traded lower. PSEL slipped to Rs1,206.01, shedding over 5 percent.
Economic backdrop remains supportive
The recent market strength comes against an improving macroeconomic backdrop. Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal said on Tuesday that Pakistan’s GDP grew by 3.71 percent in the first quarter of the 2025–26 financial year, compared with 2.15 percent growth in the same period last year.
A day earlier, the PSX had extended its positive run, with the KSE-100 Index gaining 576.45 points to close at a then all-time high of 174,473 points. Analysts say while intraday volatility is expected, improved economic data and sustained investor interest continue to support the market’s broader trend.
