Thursday, January 08 2026

Institutional support takes PSX to peak
The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) maintained its bullish streak on Wednesday as the benchmark KSE-100 index touched a new record, supported by continued buying from institutional investors. The market commenced trading with a spike but it soon plunged to the intra-day low of 184,897 in the very first hour. Afterwards, investor sentiment improved and buying interest emerged, taking the market to the intra-day high of 187,015 well after midday. At close, the KSE-100 settled at 186,518.72, up 1,456.61 points, or 0.79%. Market watchers attributed the strong close to sustained institutional flows, which helped the index overcome early pressure. Topline Securities, in its report, observed that the local bourse remained firmly up and extended its stellar momentum to notch an all-time high close at 186,519. The benchmark index experienced a highly buoyant session, surging to the intra-day high of 1,953 points, while profit-taking remained modest, with the intra-day low capped at 165 points, underscoring the market's underlying strength.
Related news categories: business economic-indicators psx stock-exchanges

Bullish momentum continues, KSE-100 gains over 850 points
Bulls returned to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) after observing selling in early trade, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index gaining over 850 points during the opening minutes of trading on Thursday. At 11:20am, the benchmark index was hovering at 187,374.83, a gain of 856.12 points or 0.46%. Buying interest was observed in key sectors, including cement, chemical, commercial banks, oil and gas exploration companies, OMCs, power generation, and refineries. Index-heavy stocks, including ARL, HUBCO, MARI, OGDC, POL, PPL HBL, and NBP, traded in the GREEN. On Wednesday, the PSX extended its bullish run as sustained buying interest propelled the benchmark index to a fresh all-time high, supported by broad-based sectoral participation. The benchmark KSE-100 Index gained 1,456.61 points, or 0.79%, to close at a record 186,518.72 points.
Related news categories: business economic-indicators psx stock-exchanges

Govt raises Rs1.09tr via securities
Pakistan's latest government securities auctions attracted strong investor interest on Wednesday, with the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) raising a total of Rs1.09 trillion through treasury bills and Pakistan Investment Bonds (PIB) Floaters, while cut-off yields declined across all T-bill tenors. In the treasury bills auction, the government accepted Rs979 billion against a cumulative target of Rs850 billion, whereas total bids amounted to Rs2.56 trillion. The government accepted Rs87 billion for one-month T-bills at a cut-off yield of 10.20%, marking a decline of 29 basis points from the previous auction. In the three-month tenor, Rs80 billion was accepted against bids of Rs521 billion, with the cut-off yield easing 34 basis points to 10.15%.
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Textile exports dip across EU, US & UK
Pakistan's textile and apparel exports suffered a broad-based decline across its three largest markets, the European Union, the United States and the United Kingdom, during the first half of FY26, signalling a deepening competitiveness crisis for the country's largest export sector. Chairman of Pakistan Textile Council (PTC) Fawad Anwar said the downturn was not confined to a single product or destination but reflected systemic weaknesses in the cost of doing business, according to a statement issued on Wednesday. Textiles and apparel, Pakistan's biggest export-oriented industry, face immediate risks to foreign exchange earnings, employment and industrial capacity utilisation, he warned.
Related news categories: business economic-indicators textile-composite textile-spinning textile-weaving

Economic stability faces scrutiny amid unresolved structural issues
After months of improved macroeconomic indicators and relative calm in currency and inflation markets, Pakistan's business community is raising questions about whether the current phase of economic stability can translate into long-term growth. While headline numbers suggest improvement, industrialists argue that deep structural weaknesses remain unaddressed and could resurface once external support eases. Pakistan Industry and Traders Association Front (PIAF) Chairman Syed Mehmood Ghaznavi said that despite recent fiscal inflows and improved reserves, the country continues to face high interest-related expenditures that are draining public finances. He noted that the apparent fiscal relief has largely been achieved through tough conditions imposed under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme rather than through home-grown and sustainable economic reforms.
Related news categories: business economic-indicators misc