KSE-100 index closes at 41,862.77 points with a gain of 1.25%.
Market players assumed fresh positions at the bourse today.
Shares of 325 companies were traded during the session.
KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) opened the short trading week — after a five-day-long Eid ul Adha holiday — in the green with a gain of over 500 points.
The market players assumed fresh positions in hopes of revival of the stalled International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme which will provide a much-needed breather to the economic crisis of Pakistan.
Depreciation of the Pakistani rupee against the US dollar coupled with political instability owning to the upcoming by-polls in Punjab failed to impact to the investment climate.
The benchmark KSE-100 index traded between hope and despair, which eventually let loose the bulls, and pulled the bourse into the green.
At close, the benchmark KSE-100 index closed at 41,862.77 points with a gain of 518.76 points or 1.25%.
Benchmark KSE-100 index intra-day trading curve. — PSX data portal
A report from Arif Habib Limited noted that the bulls triumphed in the trading session at PSX today. The benchmark KSE-100 index traded in the green zone as value buying was witnessed across the board, although the exploration and production sector remained in the limelight.
“Investors gained confidence over expectation of resumption of the IMF programme. Volumes stayed healthy in the main board,” the brokerage house noted.
Sectors contributing to the performance included banks (+140.4 points), exploration and production (+102.6 points), technology (+71.4 points), cement (+65 points) and oil marketing companies (+35.2 points).
Shares of 325 companies were traded during the session. At the close of trading, 212 scrips closed in the green, 90 in the red, and 23 remained unchanged.
Overall trading volumes rose to 164.82 million shares compared with Thursday’s tally of 99.08 million. The value of shares traded during the day was Rs6.48 billion.
TPL Properties was the volume leader with 14.93 million shares traded, gaining Rs0.94 to close at Rs20.62. It was followed by Sui Northern Gas Pipelines with 13.57 million shares traded, gaining Rs2.80 to close at Rs39.75 and Oil and Gas Development Company with 9.97 million shares traded, gaining Rs3.17 to close at Rs83.63.
Jam Kamal Khan, federal minister for commerce, visited Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Muscat alongside chairman Faisal Abdullah Al Rawas.
To enable closer economic collaboration, both sides decided during the meeting to activate joint Business Council between OCCI and the federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and industry.
Concurrent with the conference, the Embassy of Pakistan arranged a b2b networking event in association with OCCI to gather Omani Businessmen and Pakistani Business Delegates investigating trade prospects.
Speaking on the occasion, Jam Kamal Khan said, “Our present trade figures do not fairly represent the depth of our connection. We can quickly raise the current Trade volume to two or three times its present level by just eliminating logistical and communication barriers.
Amidst the ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) regarding a loan tranche, the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) has resumed its upward trajectory in recent days.
The KSE-100 Index gained 600 points on Friday, the penultimate working day of the business week, and then increased to 115,730 points as traders showed confidence and engaged in trading.
After experiencing fluctuations, the PSX gained strength on Thursday, as the major index surpassed 115,000 points.
The KSE 100-Index closed at 115,094.23 points after gaining 1,009.70 points, or 0.89 percent. 115,247.39 was the intraday high, and 14,429.93 was the lowest.
According to experts, one important factor is Moody’s Ratings’ upgrade of Pakistani banks. Investor confidence has also increased due to the expectation of a positive conclusion from the negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
In its assessment, Moody’s stated, “We have shifted our outlook on Pakistan’s banking system from stable to positive to reflect the banks’ resilient financial performance as well as improving macroeconomic conditions from very weak levels a year ago.”
The major index of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) surpassed 115,000 on Thursday, indicating a surge in the market.
In the midst of an ongoing economic review, the delegation from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has promised Pakistan economic cooperation.
In order to assess the delivery of a $1 billion tranche under the $7 billion rescue deal, IMF officials are now in Pakistan.
Today, March 14, marks the completion of the two-week-long economic review and negotiations between the global lender’s representatives and Pakistani authorities.
The team met with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb at the Ministry of Finance for the last round of negotiations.
The nation’s economic team’s actions and performance were praised by the visiting officials.
Aurangzeb promised the IMF during the conference that all economic goals would be met. He said that as long as the loan program is in place, no goals would be broken.