The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a powerful rally on Monday as the benchmark KSE-100 Index climbed by over 3,800 points amid strong buying in banking and fertilizer sector stocks.
According to official market data, the KSE-100 Index closed at 171,725.29 points, registering an increase of 3,881.05 points. The benchmark index gained 2.31 percent during the session, reflecting strong investor confidence across the market.
The trading session began at 170,747.29 points before moving sharply upward throughout the day. The market touched an intraday high of 171,920.81 points while the lowest level recorded was 170,161.66 points.
Total constituent trading volume reached 261.56 million shares, showing active participation by both institutional and retail investors.
Among the major gainers, FFC led the market with a contribution of 291.06 points to the benchmark index. UBL added 289.24 points while HBL contributed 255.57 points. ENGRO and LUCK also remained among the top-performing stocks, adding 253.93 points and 224.93 points respectively.
Despite the strong rally, some companies closed lower and weighed on the benchmark index. COLG emerged as the top dragger with a negative contribution of 13.72 points. SHFA, THALL, PSEL, and YOUW also posted minor declines during the session.
Analysts said the market rally reflected improving investor sentiment driven by expectations of economic recovery and stable corporate profitability. Investors also responded positively to easing inflation expectations and improving macroeconomic indicators.
The fiscal year-to-date return for the KSE-100 Index reached 36.69 percent, highlighting strong growth over the current fiscal year. However, the calendar year-to-date return remained slightly negative at -1.34 percent despite the latest gains.
Experts believe banking stocks remained attractive due to expectations of healthy earnings and strong dividend payouts. Fertilizer sector companies also gained investor attention due to stable demand and profitability outlook.
The Pakistan Stock Exchange has experienced several volatile sessions in recent months as investors reacted to inflation, interest rate concerns, and global financial uncertainty.
Monday’s rally is being viewed as a positive development for the local equity market.
Market observers said continued policy stability, stronger economic indicators, and investor confidence could help sustain bullish momentum at the PSX in the coming weeks.
Investors are now closely monitoring future economic announcements and monetary policy developments that may influence market direction.