Pakistan Stock Exchange Shatters Records: KSE-100 Surpasses 138,000 ⁢Amidst ⁤Aggressive Buying

Karachi,Pakistan – July 18,2025 – The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) ‍continued it’s unprecedented surge on Thursday,with the benchmark KSE-100 index breaching the 138,000-point mark. This record-breaking performance was propelled by robust⁢ institutional⁢ buying and a wave of optimism surrounding⁢ anticipated corporate earnings.

Bullish Momentum Ignites Market Activity

following a brief⁣ pause, bullish sentiment re-emerged with notable force, driving the KSE-100 index ⁢to an intraday high of 2,563 points. The market closed at an all-time high of 138,665.50, marking a substantial gain of 2,285.53 points, or 1.68 percent. This upward trajectory‍ was largely attributed to strong institutional flows and strategic value-hunting by local investors, reigniting market momentum.

Fertiliser Stocks Lead the Charge

The rally was notably spearheaded by the fertiliser sector, with Fauji Fertiliser Company⁢ (FFC) and Engro⁤ Fertiliser (EFERT) making ⁣significant contributions. These two giants collectively added 563 points to ⁤the index, underscoring their pivotal⁣ role in the market’s ascent.

Blue-Chip Stocks Show Broad-Based strength

Beyond the fertiliser sector, a host of other blue-chip stocks demonstrated impressive gains. United Bank⁢ Ltd, Systems ltd, Engro Corporation, and Hub Power Company were among the major contributors, collectively adding 763 points. This broad-based strength across leading companies signals a healthy and diversified market advance.

Positive Outlook Ahead of ⁣Earnings Season

The current market rally sets a decidedly positive tone as the ⁤peak earnings season approaches. ‍Investors are keenly observing key financial results and ⁤macroeconomic indicators,which will be crucial in shaping the market’s direction in the coming‍ phases.

External Factors Bolster Investor confidence

Ahsan Mehanti ‍of Arif Habib Corporation highlighted several factors contributing to⁢ the bullish close. Strong gains across multiple sectors were bolstered by unconfirmed media ⁣reports suggesting a potential visit by the US President on September 18th.⁣ Investors perceive this as a positive development that could significantly enhance Pakistan-US trade relations.

Government-Business Dialog Fuels Optimism

Further contributing to⁤ the market’s buoyancy are expectations of a breakthrough ⁣in ongoing government-business community discussions concerning budgetary matters. Coupled with ⁤improving economic indicators, these developments have fostered a climate of optimism among market participants.

Agribusiness Sector Shows Promising Performance

Ali⁣ Najib, Deputy Head of Trading at Arif Habib Ltd, specifically pointed to ‍the fertiliser stocks as being at ⁢the forefront of ‍Thursday’s rally. This surge is driven‍ by positive expectations for improved performance within‍ the‍ agribusiness sector. Najib further ⁤commented that the overall market sentiment remains ⁢robust, with strong momentum likely to persist,⁣ provided macroeconomic⁢ stability‍ and corporate earnings continue to ⁢be supportive.

Record Market Participation and Trading ‍volumes

Market⁤ participation reached impressive levels, with total trading‍ volume increasing by 10.48 ‍percent to 780 million shares. The traded value⁤ saw a significant jump of 24.20 ⁤percent, reaching Rs39.97 billion.Pakistan International Bulk Terminal emerged as the leader in terms of volume, with 82.66 million shares changing ⁣hands.

Published in ‍Dawn, July ⁢18th, 2025