KSE-100 Index Posts 2nd-Highest Single-Day Gain, Surges Over 7,000 Points

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) roared back on Tuesday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index posting its second-highest single-day gain in history. The index soared by 7,032.60 points, or 4.44%, to close at 165,476.02, reflecting renewed investor optimism and improving market confidence. This marks the second-largest single-day increase for the KSE-100, surpassed only by the 10,123-point surge recorded on May 12, 2025. Notably, the top three single-day gains have all occurred within the last six months, underlining a period of sustained bullish sentiment. The rally followed a day of heavy selling, as buying momentum dominated the session from the opening bell. The index reached an intra-day high of 165,866.77, with broad-based gains across key sectors such as automobile assemblers, cement, commercial banks, oil and gas exploration, oil marketing companies, power generation, and refineries. Index-heavyweights, including HUBCO, ARL, MARI, OGDC, POL, PPL, PSO, SSGC, SNGPL, and WAFI, all closed in the green. In terms of trading activity, PSO, BOP, PTC, THCCL, and HUBCO were among the most actively traded stocks by value and volume. This surge was supported by broad-based buying, as 96 shares advanced while only 3 declined. Notable contributors to the index gains included Lucky Cement (LUCK PA), which rose by 8.29%, United Bank Limited (UBL PA), up by 4.63%, and Systems Limited (SYS PA), which jumped 10%. On the other hand, UNITY PA (-0.23%), PKGP PA (-0.11%), and UPFL PA (-0.02%) were the biggest drags on the index, though their impact was minimal compared to the overall positive momentum. Among the top gainers, Systems Limited (SYS) led the way, rising by Rs. 15.05 to close at Rs. 165.0, contributing 479.9 points to the index. Pakistan Services Limited (PSEL) gained Rs. 81.03, closing at Rs. 891.4, while Pak Elektron Limited (PAEL) and Bank of Punjab (BOP) also posted strong gains. On the losing side, UNITY, PKGP, and UPFL saw minor declines. Market participants attributed the surge to easing geopolitical tensions and reduced domestic political noise, alongside renewed investor interest as the corporate results season kicked off. The positive momentum, however, remains closely tied to ongoing political stability and the government’s commitment to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.