KSE-100 Index Nears 150,000 as Positive Momentum Drives Market Gains

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a wave of bullish activity on Monday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index climbing sharply during the session. The index touched an intra-day peak of 150,066.00 points before settling at 149,971.12, up by 1,353.35 points (0.91%).

The rally marked a strong recovery, bringing the index within touching distance of the psychological 150,000 level, which investors have closely monitored as a key resistance point.

Market Movers

A total of 67 stocks advanced during the day, with several blue-chip names contributing significantly to the surge:

Lucky Cement (LUCK PA) – up 4.24%
Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDC PA) – up 2.27%
Fauji Cement Company Limited (FCCL PA) – surged 7.39%

On the downside, Packages Limited (PKGP PA) and Systems Limited (SYS PA) were among the leading drags, falling by 6.33% and 1.77%, respectively.

Monthly & Yearly Performance

The index has now delivered impressive returns, with a month-to-date (MTD) gain of 10.58% and a calendar year-to-date (CY25TD) return of 34.84%, reflecting strong investor sentiment over the past several months.

Among individual stocks:

Bank of Punjab (BOP) advanced 10.0%
Pak Elektron Limited (PAEL) gained 9.5%
Packages Limited (PKGP) dropped 6.3%
Aisha Steel Mills (AGL) slipped 6.2%

Boost from Fiscal & Economic Developments

Investor confidence received a strong boost following remarks from Khurram Schehzad, Advisor to the Finance Minister, who announced on Sunday that Pakistan had retired Rs. 2,600 billion in debt ahead of schedule — a first in the country’s history.

The repayment includes Rs. 1.6 trillion owed to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), cleared within just 59 days. Market experts hailed the move as a record achievement in fiscal discipline and a key driver of the day’s positive momentum.

Adding further optimism, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported that headline inflation eased to 3% YoY in August 2025, compared to 4.1% in July. Meanwhile, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced additional funding for emergency relief projects, reinforcing the bullish sentiment across equities.