Investor optimism drives Pakistan stocks to all-time peak

KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) opened the week on a strong bullish note, with the benchmark KSE-100 index surging to an all-time high of 156,199 points.

Investor optimism fuelled a remarkable intraday rally, as the index gained as much as 1,922 points before settling at 156,087, up 1,810 points (+1.17 per cent). The upward momentum was driven by better-than-expected corporate earnings and strong liquidity from local institutions, propelling the benchmark into uncharted territory.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Monday injected a cumulative Rs316 billion into the financial system through conventional and Shariah-compliant Open Market Operations (OMO) to ease liquidity pressure in the banking sector.

Market heavyweights attracted robust flows, reinforcing the bullish undertone. Key contributors included ENGROH, HUBC, LUCK, MARI, and SNGP, which collectively added 1,144 points to the rally.

The energy sector also provided a boost, advancing on optimism over progress in resolving power sector debt, according to Ismail Iqbal Securities.

By close, the KSE-100 had notched new records both intraday and at settlement. Power generation and distribution, oil and gas exploration, and cement stocks were the biggest contributors, cumulatively adding 787 points.

Highlight of the session was ENGROH, which rose sharply after a Topline Securities report titled *“Earnings Revised Up; Buy Stance Maintained”* triggered renewed investor interest, contributing 405 points to the index.

Market participation remained strong, with total volume reaching 1.12 billion shares and traded value at Rs62.2 billion. KEL led the volume chart with 93.7 million shares.

NBP briefing highlights strong capital position

Separately, the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) held a corporate briefing to discuss its financial results for the first half of 2025, where management projected a steady earnings outlook despite regulatory changes and rising costs.

NBP reported that its deposits surged by 21.7 percent to Rs4.7 trillion in June 2025, compared with Rs3.9 trillion in December 2024. The bulk of this increase came from current deposits, which helped push CASA (current and savings account) deposits to 82.9 percent from 79.5 percent six months earlier.