https://arab.news/pkjy8
- KSE-100 surges to all-time high of 149,771 points, driven by banking and cement stocks
- Finance adviser hails milestone, says reforms and stability fueling investor confidence
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s stock market closed at a record high on Tuesday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index ending the session at 149,771 points as strong institutional inflows powered gains in banking and cement shares, according to brokerage Topline Securities.
The index rose as much as 2,127 points to touch an intraday high of 150,323 before paring gains to close up 1,572 points, or 1.06 percent. Index heavyweights Bank AL Habib Ltd. (BAHL), United Bank Ltd. (UBL), Lucky Cement Ltd. (LUCK), Meezan Bank Ltd. (MEBL), and Engro Corporation Ltd. (ENGRO) collectively contributed 1,306 points to the rally.
“The bullish momentum from previous sessions continued, driven by strong institutional inflows— particularly in the banking and cement sectors,” Topline said in its market review.
The brokerage added that “cement sales are gaining momentum in August 2025, and earnings could exceed expectations.”
Market participation remained robust, with 806 million shares traded and a total traded value of PKR 48.3 billion. WorldCall Telecom Limited led the volume chart with 52 million shares changing hands during the session.
Earlier in the day, Khurram Schehzad, adviser to the finance minister, hailed the index’s milestone, attributing the surge to improved investor confidence and macroeconomic stability.
“Pakistan Stock Exchange Makes New History – Reaches 150,000 Points Mark,” Schehzad said in a post on X.
“First 50,000 took 26 years (1991–2017). Second 50,000 took 8 years (2017–2024). Third 50,000 took just 10 months (Nov 2024–Aug 2025).”
He noted that the number of companies with billion-dollar valuations had risen to 16, the highest since 2018, while more than 73,000 new investors had joined the market in the last year, bringing the total to over one million.
The rally comes amid signs of stabilization in Pakistan’s economy after the country secured a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout in September 2024 and saw recent upgrades by international ratings agencies.
Inflation has eased from a peak of 38 percent in 2023 to 4.1 percent in July 2025, while the rupee has stabilized against the dollar.