The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) carried its bullish momentum into Thursday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index surging past the 153,000 level on the back of strong sectoral performance and improved investor sentiment.
Within minutes of the market opening, the index jumped over 700 points, continuing its record-breaking run.
At the start of the business session, a strong bullish trend was visible as the KSE-100 Index climbed by 1,6800 points to reach 153,270. By 10am, the index was hovering at 152,974.07, reflecting a gain of 772.20 points or 0.51%.
During intraday trade, the index hit a high of 153,117.26, underscoring investors’ appetite for stocks across multiple sectors.
Sector-wise buying spurs growth
Buying pressure was seen in key areas, including cement, commercial banks, oil and gas exploration companies, oil marketing companies (OMCs), power generation, and refineries.
Index-heavy stocks such as Attock Refinery Limited (ARL), Mari Petroleum (MARI), Pakistan Oilfields (POL), Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL), Pakistan State Oil (PSO), Sui Gas Northern Pipelines (SGNPL), Habib Bank Limited (HBL), MCB Bank, Meezan Bank (MEBL), and National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) all traded in the green, driving the upward momentum.
This surge followed Wednesday’s strong performance, when the KSE-100 Index extended its record-breaking run by gaining 1,226.39 points, or 0.81%, to settle at 152,201.88.
Global market context
Internationally, Asian stocks showed positive momentum in early Thursday trading, buoyed by dovish remarks from U.S. Federal Reserve officials that helped ease investor concerns.
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Australia: Shares rebounded 0.8% after their steepest one-day fall since April.
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Japan: The Nikkei 225 advanced 1.2%.
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Asia-Pacific: MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan slipped 0.2%, weighed down by losses in China.
In China, the Shanghai Composite fell 1.6%, marking its third straight day of declines after reports suggested regulators may impose cooling measures on the market.
Bond market pressures and investor confidence
Financial markets globally have begun September on a cautious note, with a sell-off in long-dated bonds shaking investor confidence. Ahead of the critical U.S. non-farm payrolls report on Friday, markets remain wary of volatility.
Japan is set to test investor appetite for super-long fixed income through an auction of 30-year government bonds later today. While the recent bond sell-off slowed overnight, concerns over fiscal health in major economies, including the U.S., Japan, and the U.K., continue to keep borrowing costs near multi-year highs.
Investor sentiment received a boost after several U.S. Federal Reserve officials, including Governor Christopher Waller, signaled support for potential rate cuts in the coming months. These dovish comments helped stabilize markets, offsetting some of the pressure from global debt concerns.
Outlook for PSX
With the KSE-100 Index breaking past 153,000, the PSX remains firmly in bullish territory. Analysts believe continued foreign inflows, economic reforms, and stability in global markets could further strengthen the rally.
However, investors are advised to remain cautious given global bond market volatility and upcoming U.S. labor data, which could influence both international and local sentiment.
