Thursday, April 09 2026

KSE-100 climbs over 9% as Pakistan-brokered ceasefire ignites historic rally
It was a historic day at the Pakistan Exchange (PSX) on Wednesday, as investors rejoiced after the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire amid Pakistan’s mediation efforts. The ceasefire also triggered a global relief rally, with oil prices plunging sharply and equities surging across the US, Europe, and Asia. Bullish momentum was observed right from the opening bell, as the benchmark KSE-100 Index gained over 8%, triggering a market halt at 9:37am. “All TRE Certificate Holders are hereby informed that due to a 5% increase in the KSE-30 index from the previous trading day’s close of the same, a market halt has been triggered as per PSX Regulations, and all equity-based markets have been suspended accordingly,” read the notice. Why does PSX halt trading? The market activity resumed at 10:42am. As the session progressed, the index maintained a sustained upward trajectory driven by aggressive buying, hitting an intraday high of 165,924.13. The KSE-100 Index closed at 165,811, recording its highest-ever single-day gain of 14,138 points or 9.32%. “Today was a short-seller’s nightmare and a buyer’s paradise,” said Behtari Capital on Wednesday.
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Pakistan records $3.8bn in remittances for March 2026
The inflow of overseas workers’ remittances into Pakistan stood at $3.8 billion in March 2026, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) data showed on Wednesday. Remittances increased by 16.5% on month-on-month basis and registered a decline of 5.5% on year-on-year basis. Cumulatively, workers’ remittances increased by 8.2% to $30.3 billion during Jul-Mar FY26, compared to $28 billion received during the same period last year. Remittances play a significant role in supporting the country’s external account, stimulating Pakistan’s economic activity, and supplementing the disposable incomes of remittance-dependent households. Also read: Pakistan receives $3.3bn in remittances in February 2026 Meanwhile, the government promotes remittances through incentives and formal channels to sustain steady growth and ensure their role in economic stability.
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Asia stocks turn cautious as reality intrudes in Gulf
Asian share markets were in a more sober mood on ​Thursday as cracks quickly began to appear in the fragile Gulf ceasefire, nudging oil prices back up and reminding ‌investors the inflationary fallout will last for a long time yet. There was scant sign that the Strait of Hormuz was open in any meaningful way, with Iran flexing its control over the vital oil artery and demanding tolls for safe passage. “You have a fifth of the world’s oil supply moving through a ​corridor that is still effectively under the influence of one of the parties to the conflict,” said Nigel Green, ​CEO at deVere Group. “That’s not stability.” “You don’t need a full blockade to move oil markets sharply ⁠higher again,” he added. “Missiles are still being launched in the Gulf, Israel is still engaged on another front, and yet markets ​are behaving as though the region has normalised.” As a result prices for US crude futures edged up 2.8% to $96.99 a barrel, ​while Brent rose 2.1% to $96.74. Japan’s Nikkei dithered either side of flat, after jumping 5.4% the previous session. South Korea dipped 0.4%, following a leap of 6.8%. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan eased 0.3%.
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PTA drafts comprehensive licensing framework for MVNOs
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has drafted a comprehensive licencing framework for Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), introducing a structured regulatory regime along with an initial licence fee of USD 140,000, envisaging to expand competition and innovation in the telecom sector. According to the draft licence, MVNOs will be authorized to provide mobile communication services across Pakistan, excluding Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJ&K) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). The framework sets out detailed conditions governing service scope, commercial arrangements with Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), regulatory compliance, and financial obligations.
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March remittances increase 17pc to USD3.83bn MoM
Inflows of workers’ remittances posted a robust month-on-month growth of around 17 percent in March 2026, as overseas Pakistanis increased transfers ahead of Eidul Fitr. According to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), overseas Pakistanis remitted USD 3.83 billion in March 2026, compared to USD 3.28 billion in February 2026, reflecting an increase of USD 550 million. On a cumulative basis, remittances showed steady growth during the ongoing fiscal year (FY26). Inflows rose by 8.2 percent or USD 2.3 billion to reach USD 30.3 billion during July-March FY26, up from USD 28 billion recorded in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year (FY25). As against the monthly surge, remittance declined by 5 percent on a year-on-year basis, as receipts stood at USD 3.8 billion in March 2026 against USD 4 billion in the same month last year. Country-wise data showed that the largest share of remittances in March 2026 originated from Saudi Arabia, contributing USD 918.4 million, followed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with USD 823.7 million. Remittances from the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US) stood at USD 587.3 million and USD 359.3 million, respectively.
Related news categories: business economic-indicators misc