KSE-100 gains 1,269 points to close at 165,736 as buying continues at Pakistan Stock Exchange
File photo of a stock exchange bull (Wikimedia Commons).
KARACHI — Buying stayed in charge at the Pakistan Stock Exchange on Wednesday, and the benchmark KSE-100 index closed 1,269.55 points, or 0.77 percent, higher at 165,736.76. The index had finished the previous session at 164,467.20, and today’s trade pushed it firmly back into positive territory.
A choppy day, a positive finish
It was not a one-way session. The index touched an intraday high of 166,100.34 and a low of 164,355.83 — a range of roughly 1,745 points — before settling in the green. Early caution gave way to steadier buying as the day went on, and the market held its gains into the close despite the regional tensions hanging over the headlines. Brokers read that resilience as a sign that investors, for now, are looking past the noise and backing local equities.
Where the buying was, where the pressure sat
Trading on the ready market jumped to 578.12 million shares, up sharply from 401.97 million in the previous session, while traded value rose to Rs26.20 billion from Rs18.07 billion. Total market capitalisation climbed to Rs18.329 trillion from Rs18.215 trillion. Of the 496 companies traded, 269 advanced, 180 declined and 47 were unchanged. Pervez Ahmed Co led the volume chart with 58.32 million shares, followed by TPL Properties with 38.35 million and Cnergyico PK with 34.76 million. Among the gainers, Ghandhara Industries surged Rs106.12 to Rs1,167.28, and Rafhan Maize Products added Rs70.86 to close at Rs8,408.05. On the other side, PIA Holding Company fell Rs448.49 to Rs13,551.50, and Khairpur Sugar Mills slipped Rs125.98 to Rs1,133.86.
What the mood of the market says now
Today’s session tells two stories at once: a clear rise at the index level, and a mixed picture company by company. The jump in volume shows investors are not just watching — they are participating. But with 180 stocks falling, the gains were far from universal. For smaller investors, the old lesson still holds: before acting on an index headline, check what is happening in the company you actually own.
