KSE-100 settles with over 6,000 points gain amid ceasefire reports
Bullish momentum persisted throughout the trading session, pushing the KSE-100 Index to an intra-day high of 122,725.21.
At close, the benchmark index settled at 122,246.63 level, an increase of 6079.16 points or 5.23%.
'This marks the second-highest single-day increase on a closing basis in terms of points,' said Arif Habib Limited (AHL), in a post.
Earlier, following a 5% gain, trading activity at PSX halted for 1 hour, and the market opened at 12:31pm.
'All TRE Certificate Holders are hereby informed that due to a 5% increase in the KSE-30 index from the previous trading day's close of the index, a Market Halt has been triggered as per PSX Regulations,' read the notice.
Across-the-board buying was observed in key sectors including automobile assemblers, commercial banks, oil and gas exploration companies, OMCs, power generation and refinery. Index-heavy stocks including HUBCO, ARL, SSGC, PSO, MARI, OGDC, PPL, POL, UBL and HBL traded in the green.
'The ceasefire announcement and a 3-4% drop in international oil prices are driving the buying rally at the bourse,' Sana Tawfik, Head of Research at AHL, told Business Recorder.
'The market believes the geopolitical situation will now come under control,' she added.
Pakistan is aiming to secure $3.3 billion in the form of two foreign loans - one a syndicated loan and the other a refinancing of commercial loans from Chinese banks within the next few days.
'This will take FX reserves held by the SBP above the USD 14bn mark in FY25,' AHL said in its post-market commentary.
Meanwhile, Waqas Ghani, Head of Research at JS Global, echoed similar sentiments.
'Market participants responded positively to Trump's ceasefire announcement aimed at easing Middle East tensions and a decrease in global oil prices.
Widespread buying activity was witnessed across all sectors, driving a strong rally,' he said.
Intense selling pressure gripped the PSX on Monday amid escalating geopolitical tensions following a US attack on Iran, with the benchmark KSE-100 settling with a loss of nearly 3,900 points.
At close, the KSE-100 Index settled at 116,167.47 level, a decrease of 3,855.77 points or 3.21%.
Internationally, global shares rallied and the dollar extended declines on Tuesday after US President Donald Trump said Iran and Israel had agreed to a ceasefire, sending oil prices into a deep dive as concerns over supply disruptions ebbed.
While an Iranian official earlier confirmed that Tehran had agreed to a ceasefire, the country's foreign minister said there would be no cessation of hostilities unless Israel stopped its attacks.
Oil prices fell over 3%, having already slid 9% on Monday when Iran made a token retaliation against a US base, which came to nothing and signalled it was done for now.
With the immediate threat to the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane seemingly over, U.S. crude futures fell another 3.4% to $66.15 per barrel, the lowest since June 11.
Risk assets rallied, with S&P 500 futures up 0.6% and Nasdaq futures 0.9% higher.
EUROSTOXX 50 futures jumped 1.3% and FTSE futures rose 0.4%.
The MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan jumped 1.8% while Japan's Nikkei rallied 1.4%.
This is an intra-day update
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'We must celebrate Baloch identity through media, education, and tourism — not suppress it. And security must be built on trust. We must replace heavy-handed tactics with community policing and reconciliation efforts.' Senator Mushahid echoed similar concerns, particularly around accountability and justice. 'If I were asked to advise the government of Pakistan on the three things needed to resolve the issue in Balochistan, number one would be to remove this blot — this bleeding wound — of missing persons. I think this is a stain on the fair name of Pakistan. Our country is a product of democracy, the rule of law.' Pakistan, the senator reiterated, has much to learn from China in addressing unrest and promoting stability and harmony. Providing context, he traced the roots of the Baloch insurgency back to the government of former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, who, he said, dismissed Balochistan's first democratically elected government — an act that, in his view, triggered the insurgency. He credited General Zia ul Haq's period for being peaceful as the former military ruler offered respect to leaders from Balochistan. 'Pakistan's approach has to change,' he said. 'We need an effective counterterrorism strategy to confront the foreign-sponsored proxies and terrorists killing innocent people in Balochistan. Yes, there must be a kinetic component — but equally important are education, political engagement, and a softer touch.' He did not spare Balochistan's own elite either. 'They've been beneficiaries of the federal system, the 1973 Constitution, and the 18th Amendment, which has given the province significant financial autonomy. Yet they've done damn all for the people of Balochistan.' Reverting to a comparison between Xinjiang's trajectory and Beijing's approach with Islamabad's strategy in Balochistan, Mushahid credited Chinese policy for its strategic clarity and consistency — qualities he said have been lacking in Pakistan. 'That's why there's been a flip-flop approach, and the problem remains unresolved,' he concluded. From the looks of it, officials in Pakistan have increasingly emphasized the need for economic inclusion in Balochistan under CPEC, viewing it as a peace-building exercise, not just an infrastructure project. Xinjiang's journey from epicenter of terrorism to a burgeoning economic hub is neither complete nor uncontested. But the trajectory is undeniable. Trade, industry, infrastructure, and energy have returned life to cities once left behind by history. Whether or not the Root Cause model becomes a global template remains to be seen. But in the deserts of western China, a new Silk Road is being paved—not with camel caravans, but with economic integration, digital connectivity, and an unapologetically developmentalist vision of peace.
