PSX at peak as traders win support
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The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) soared to a new all-time high on Tuesday, driven by investor confidence following a high-level meeting between business leaders and Army Chief Asim Munir, where assurances of institutional support for economic progress were given.
The government's success in securing a majority in Senate elections, optimism surrounding the State Bank of Pakistan's (SBP) expected monetary easing and forecasts of robust corporate earnings further reinforced the market rally.
The benchmark KSE-100 index surged to intra-day high of 1,684 points, before settling at 139,419.62, an increase of 1,202.03 points, or 0.87%.
According to Ahsan Mehanti of Arif Habib Corp, stocks traded at a new all-time high after business leaders met with army chief and were assured of the military's support for economic progress. Additionally, the government won a majority in Senate seats, further bolstering the bullish sentiment.
Speculation about the SBP's anticipated policy easing next week, alongside expectations of handsome financial results and annual payouts, fuelled the bullish activity at the PSX, he said.
In its review, Topline Securities commented that bulls roared back to life in Tuesday's trading session, lifting the benchmark index to impressive levels. The index surged to intra-day high of 1,684 points, before closing at 139,420, reflecting a solid gain of 1,202 points.
The rally was fuelled by positive investor sentiment and renewed market confidence, ahead of the anticipated announcement of robust corporate results. This wave of optimism helped paint a bullish picture across the board, setting the tone for a potentially upbeat week ahead, it said.
Key movers of the day were Engro Holdings, HBL, Fauji Fertiliser Company (FFC), Engro Fertilisers, Pakistan Petroleum and Oil and Gas Development Company, which together contributed 1,142 points to the index. Trading activity remained vibrant, with total volumes hitting 629 million shares and traded value reaching Rs34.7 billion, Topline added.
In its commentary, Arif Habib Limited (AHL) noted that a one-sided price delivery from the 137,200-138,200 zone would now trigger a move towards the weekly draw at 140,500 points.
Some 59 shares rose while 39 fell, with Engro Holdings (+5.24%), HBL (+4.42%) and FFC (+1.45%) contributing the most to index gains. On the flip side, UBL (-0.95%), Pakistan Services (-9.67%) and Systems Limited (-1.35%) were the biggest drags, it said.
AHL mentioned that according to SBP data foreign companies operating in Pakistan repatriated over $2 billion in profits and dividends in FY25. "Momentum remains strong, with the KSE-100 holding the first offered support zone. This bodes well for the remaining week," it added.
Senior analyst Ali Najib stated that post-Monday's negativity, trading resumed on a buoyant note in the morning. The fertiliser sector led the show on Tuesday as Engro Holdings, Fauji Fertiliser and Engro Fertilisers saw hefty buying since the opening bell on expectations of strong results along with higher-than-anticipated dividend payouts.
In addition, robust buying interest was seen across key sectors, including commercial banks, cement, oil and gas exploration, oil marketing companies, power generation and refineries, reflecting broad-based investor confidence and sector-wide optimism, Najib said.
The 137,000 level now acts as key support for the KSE-100, driven by improved earnings and foreign inflows. A drop below may take the index to 135,000, where attractive valuations and policy easing hopes could spark renewed buying, he added.
Overall trading volumes increased to 629 million shares compared with Monday's tally of 608.2 million. Traded value stood at Rs34.7 billion. Shares of 478 companies were traded. Of these, 268 stocks closed higher, 178 fell and 32 remained unchanged.
First Dawood Properties was the volume leader with trading in 44.1 million shares, gaining Rs1 to close at Rs7.64. It was followed by WorldCall Telecom with trading in 26.4 million shares, falling Rs0.01 to close at Rs1.46 and Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd with 24.9 million shares, rising Rs0.91 to close at Rs23.96.
During the day, foreign investors sold shares worth Rs375.5 million, the National Clearing Company reported.
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