Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) continued its winning streak on Wednesday as the benchmark KSE-100 Index maintained its bullish trend, driven by dissipating geopolitical tensions and firm local indicators. The market ended up at 122,761.64, up by 515.01 points or 0.42%, from Tuesday’s close of 122,246.63.
The session was characterized by strong performance, with the index hitting an intraday high of 123,256.55, up 1,009.92 points or 0.83%, before declining slightly to an intraday low of 122,168.76, down a marginal 77.87 points or -0.06%.
According to Ahsan Mehanti, CEO of Arif Habib Commodities, “Stocks showed recovery as investors weigh Israel-Iran ceasefire talks. Surging global equities, ongoing discussions over privatisation of SOEs, a strengthening rupee, and the government’s resolve to manage circular debt were key drivers behind the bullish momentum.”
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One of the major confidence boosters was the signing of a $350 million financing agreement between Pakistan and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). This package, aimed at supporting women’s financial inclusion and entrepreneurship, includes a $300 million policy-based loan and a $50 million Financial Intermediary Loan, signed by the State Bank of Pakistan.
The bullish momentum at PSX was further supported by improving consumer confidence in Pakistan, with the latest Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) — jointly released by Dun & Bradstreet and Gallup Pakistan — showing a 9.2% quarter-on-quarter jump and a massive 24.6% year-on-year rise. The CCI climbed to 96.2 points, up from the previous 88.1, indicating growing optimism among households about their financial future and the overall economic outlook.
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At the same time, global oil prices tempered, reducing inflation pressures. Brent slipped 5.2% to $67.75 a barrel, and WTI declined 5.4% to $65.01 after Israel accepted a ceasefire offer by U.S. President Donald Trump, putting an end to a 12-day war with Iran — a huge relief for world markets.
This rally follows Tuesday’s historic surge when the KSE-100 Index jumped 6,079.17 points, or 5.23%, closing at 122,246.64 — the second-largest single-day point gain in its history.
