Tuesday, September 01 2026

PSX: Buying returns as KSE-100 gains over 400 points
uying interest was observed at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), with the benchmark KSE-100 Index gaining over 400 points during the opening minutes of trading on Tuesday. At 9:45am, the benchmark index was hovering at 177,444.32, a gain of 468.65 points or 0.26%. Buying was observed in key sectors, including automobile assemblers, cement, commercial banks, fertiliser, oil and gas exploration companies, OMCs and power generation. Index-heavy stocks, including HUBCO, MARI, OGDC, PPL, POL, PSO, SSGC, FFC, HBL, MEBL and NBP, traded in the green.
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PSX Closing Bell: Not Quite Green
Pakistan’s benchmark KSE-100 Index closed Monday’s trading session at 176,975.67, shedding 720.83 points or 0.41%, as heavy selling in commercial banks, technology and cement stocks outweighed gains in refinery and selected energy stocks. The index traded in a range of 1,193.77 points, hitting an intraday high of 178,138.68, up 442.18 points, before falling to a low of 176,944.91, down 751.59 points. The total volume of the KSE-100 Index stood at 493.82 million shares. The market remained under pressure amid heightened geopolitical concerns after a US strike on two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz. The development pushed oil prices higher on concerns over potential supply disruptions, adding to investor caution given the strategic importance of the shipping route.
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Engro Corp agrees to sell over 56% EPCL stake
Lotte Chemical Pakistan Limited has entered into a share purchase agreement with Engro Corporation Limited for the acquisition of its entire shareholding in Engro Polymer & Chemicals Limited (EPCL), involving approximately 56.19% of EPCL’s issued and paid-up ordinary share capital. The transaction, disclosed separately by Engro Holdings Limited, Lotte Chemical Pakistan Limited and EPCL to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Tuesday, carries an aggregate value of Rs19.7 billion, equivalent to Rs38.6 per share. Engro Corp, a wholly owned subsidiary of Engro Holdings, is the seller in the transaction, while Lotte Chemical Pakistan is the acquirer. The transaction follows the parties’ earlier disclosures dated March 13, 2026, and is aimed at transferring Engro Corp’s entire stake in EPCL to Lotte Chemical Pakistan. According to the filings, completion of the transaction remains subject to the fulfilment of conditions agreed under the share purchase agreement, including receipt of corporate and regulatory approvals and applicable consents.
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Related symbols: engro (news stock) engroh (news stock) epcl (news stock) lotchem (news stock)

SOYASUP (APAG) IPO draws Rs2.56bn bids, strike price set at Rs33
The Initial Public Offering of Agro Processors and Atmospheric Gases Limited (SOYASUP) has concluded its book-building process at a strike price of Rs33.00 per share, following two days of bidding on August 27 and 28, 2026, according to a notice issued by K-Trade Securities Limited on PSX. The offer had opened with a strong response on the very first day itself, with cumulative bids reaching 43.94 million shares, or 100.92% of the total offer volume. The highest demand on day one was recorded at the Rs32.00 per share level, drawing bids for 30.56 million shares, around 69.6% of the cumulative bids, while smaller pockets of demand were seen at Rs32.02, Rs34.00 and Rs35.20 per share. By the close of the book-building, total participation stood at approximately Rs2.56 billion against an issue size of Rs1.40bn, translating into an oversubscription of 1.84 times. Of the 189 investors who took part, 149 were declared successful, with a combined allocation of 43,537,156 shares.
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SBP maintains remuneration rate on Special Cash Reserve Account for September
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has slightly increased the rate of remuneration on the Special Cash Reserve Account (US$) to 2.71% for September 2026 from 2.66% in August 2026 and 2.65% in July 2026. This rate applies to deposits raised under FE-Circular25 of 1998, according to the latest circular issued by the SBP. Under the current framework, banks and non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) are required to maintain cash reserves equivalent to 25% of their total FE-25 deposits with the SBP, comprising 5% in a Cash Reserve Account and 20% in a Special Cash Reserve Account. While the cash reserve is non-remunerative, the special cash reserve is remunerated monthly based on the rate notified by the SBP. As per the DMMD CircularLetter No. 03 of 2023, the remuneration rate is determined using the CME 1-month Term Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) published on the last working day of the previous month, minus 1% service charges.
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