Faraz Saeed

LAHORE: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) hit a fresh all-time high, crossing the 183,000 level during the opening minutes of Monday, before the benchmark KSE-100 index settled above the 182,000 level for the first time in history.&nbsp;The market opened on a positive trajectory and maintained an upward momentum through much of the session, reaching an intraday high of 183,964.37 before easing slightly towards the end. At close, the benchmark KSE-100 Index settled at 182,408.23, an increase of 3,373.31 points, or 1.88%.&nbsp;Buying interest was observed in key sectors, including automobile assemblers, cement, commercial banks, oil and gas exploration companies, OMCs, and power generation.&nbsp;Index-heavy stocks, including HUBCO, NBP, BOP, MARI, OGDC, POL, PPL, PSO, SNGPL, SSGC, HBL, MCB, MEBL, and UBL, traded in the green.&nbsp;The KSE-100 Index surged by 6,634 points, up 3.8% week-on-week, to a new all-time high of 179,035 points during the week ended on Friday.&nbsp;The index has also delivered a robust performance in calendar year 2025, posting a return of 51%, marking the third straight year of double-digit gains, following returns of 55% in calendar year 2023 and an exceptional 84% in 2024.&nbsp;Speaking to Pakistan TV, Waqas Ghani, Head of Research at JS Global, noted that Pakistan&rsquo;s &ldquo;equity market has delivered an exceptional return of 331% over the last three years, demonstrating the country&rsquo;s resilience and potential.&rdquo;&nbsp;Citing his 2025 outlook report at JS Global, Waqas added that there is room for the KSE-100 to continue progressing, though at a moderate pace.&nbsp;In his report, he mentioned that valuations at the KSE-100 remain supportive, &ldquo;trading at a P/E of 8x,&rdquo; and anticipated that there could be some re-rating at these levels. Steady earnings growth across sectors and decent dividend yields are expected to drive returns. He projects the index to reach the 225,000 level by December 2026.&nbsp;Similarly, Arif Habib Limited has set a December 2026 target for the KSE-100 Index at 208,000 points, implying an upside of 21.6% from the closing level on 23 December 2025. &ldquo;Our index target is based on target price mapping and justified P/E,&rdquo; according to Arif Habib Limited, Pakistan Investment Strategy 2026: The Equity Edge Continues.&nbsp;The report predicts that the Pakistan Stock Exchange is expected to remain the best-performing asset class in 2026, driven by improving macroeconomic stability, easing inflationary pressures, and sustained domestic liquidity.&nbsp;It added: &ldquo;In 2026, equities remain the top choice, with the KSE-100 projected to grow by 21.60%, significantly outperforming gold (5.15%), silver (7.89%), and T-bills (10.05%),&rdquo; the report said.&nbsp;Meanwhile, a report by AKD Research projected that the KSE-100 index would reach the 263,800 level, driven by further monetary easing and an improving external account position.&nbsp;The index is expected to deliver a robust return of 53% in 2026, reaching a historic market capitalization of $100 billion.&nbsp;

Economy

JS Global projects the index to reach the 225,000 level by December 2026.

PSX hit fresh all-time high, index crosses 183,000 level

LAHORE: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) closed the week on a record-breaking note Friday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index settling at an all-time high of 162,257 points, buoyed by improved sentiment following Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif&rsquo;s meeting with US President Donald Trump.&nbsp;The market rallied strongly throughout the session, gaining nearly 3,000 points compared to Thursday&rsquo;s close of 159,280. Buying interest was broad-based, led by stocks in cement, commercial banks, oil and gas exploration companies, OMCs, power, and refineries.&nbsp;The positive momentum continued after PM Sharif&rsquo;s early Friday meeting with Trump at the White House, where he was accompanied by Pakistan&#39;s army chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. The Prime Minister thanked Trump for a tariff arrangement concluded earlier this year and invited US firms to invest in Pakistan&rsquo;s agriculture, IT, minerals, and energy sectors.&nbsp;&ldquo;Improved external and fiscal balances under the IMF programme have provided much-needed confidence in macro stability,&rdquo; Waqas Ghani, Head of Research at JS Global, told Pakistan TV Digital. &ldquo;Corporate earnings prospects remain upbeat, particularly in cyclicals, and liquidity continues to drive momentum.&rdquo;&nbsp;Irfan Saeed, Regional Head at Munir Khanani Securities, said the record close reflects &ldquo;a convergence of strong fundamentals, upbeat corporate earnings, and fresh optimism after the Trump&ndash;Sharif meeting.&rdquo; He noted that expectations of investment from the Middle East, particularly in oil, gas, and minerals, have further strengthened sentiment.&nbsp;He added that the oil and gas sector has been pivotal in driving the rally, with the recent settlement of circular debt injecting liquidity and boosting investor confidence.&nbsp;The week&rsquo;s performance cements PSX&rsquo;s position among the best-performing regional markets, with analysts expecting the bullish trend to continue in the near term.

The PSX closed the week at a record 162,257 points, soaring after the Donald Trump, Shehbaz Sharif meeting in Washington boosted sentiment. Analysts credit IMF-backed stability, strong liquidity, and Middle East investment hopes for driving the rally.

Articles tagged with "Pakistan Stock Exchange"

PSX hit fresh all-time high, index crosses 183,000 level

Pakistani stock market ends week at record high after Trump-Sharif meeting