Bulls take charge at PSX after Trump’s “historic” trade deal tweet

KARACHI: The bulls stormed back to the trading floor of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Thursday, fuelled by a wave of optimism after US President Donald Trump unexpectedly tweeted about striking a “historic” trade deal with Pakistan.

The benchmark KSE-100 Index surged 978 points, closing at 139,390 — up 0.71 per cent.

Trump’s announcement — aimed at boosting bilateral trade, expanding market access, and attracting significant US investment — ignited a broad-based rally across the bourse.

Adding further momentum was news of a strategic partnership to explore and develop Pakistan’s vast untapped oil reserves, a move seen as a potential game-changer for the nation’s energy landscape, according to Topline Securities.

The index opened with strong momentum and sustained gains throughout the session, bolstered by renewed US interest following reports of a deal to lower tariffs and collaborate on oil reserve development, Ismail Iqbal Securities noted.

Oil and gas exploration companies, technology and communication, and oil marketing sectors were the key contributors, cumulatively adding 900 points to the index.

Investor sentiment remained upbeat, with expectations of reduced energy import costs and long-term improvement in the trade balance, driven by US tariff concessions and commitments to develop Pakistan’s energy sector, Al Habib Capital said.

Market participants cheered the developments, with heavyweights such as SYS, OGDC, POL, MARI and PPL contributing a combined 823 points to the index.

Investor participation was strong, with total traded volume soaring to 576 million shares and turnover reaching Rs36.3 billion. BOP led the volume chart with 82 million shares changing hands.