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KARACHI: Positive developments on economic and geopolitical fronts on Monday fuelled a bullish run at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) which boosted investors sentiments propelling the benchmark KSE 100 index above 166,000-point barrier.
Market euphoria was fuelled by a major diplomatic breakthrough — Pakistan and Afghanistan reached an immediate ceasefire agreement following high-level negotiations in Doha. The accord, emphasising mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, was welcomed by investors as a sign of improving regional stability and potential economic cooperation.
According to Topline Securities Ltd, the week opened on a strong note as the bulls dominated the trading floor, propelling the index to an impressive intraday gain of 2,615 points before closing at 166,242, up 2,436 points or 1.49 per cent.
Banking heavyweights led the charge, with Habib Bank, United Bank, Bank of Punjab, National Bank, and Askari Bank, collectively contributing 989 points to the index’s rally. Broader market sentiment remained buoyant throughout the session, as investors poured into equities across multiple sectors.
Market participation weakened as the trading volume fell 25.27pc to 1.47 billion shares. However, the traded value surged 40.22pc to Rs51.8bn. K-Electric led the volume chart with 229 million shares changing hands.
Overall, the ceasefire-driven optimism set a constructive tone for the week, reinforcing confidence in the market’s upward momentum.
Ali Najib, Deputy Head Trading Arif Habib Ltd, said after two consecutive negative sessions, the PSX rebounded sharply on the first day of the week. The session began on a cautious note, extending some of Friday’s selling pressure with the index slipping to an intraday low of 164,282 points (0.29pc). However, value hunters swiftly entered the market at lower levels, reversing sentiment and igniting a broad-based rally.
On the macroeconomic front, Pakistan posted a current account surplus of $110 million in September compared to a $52m deficit in the same month last year and a $325m deficit in August. The session marked a powerful comeback for the bulls, as optimism returned to the trading floor as its again entered into 165,000-170,000 consolidation zone, led by financial heavyweights and supported by improving macro indicators.
Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2025
