Tuesday, March 25 2025

Shares at PSX reverse gains, plunge 2,000 points on IMF concerns
Shares at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) reversed major gains on Monday as the KSE-100 index shed more than 2,000 points on International Monetary Fund (IMF) concerns over electricity tariffs. The benchmark KSE-100 index shed 2,002.55 points, or 1.69 per cent, to stand 116,439.62 from the last close of 118,442.17 points. Topline Securities, a brokerage firm in Karachi, noted that the market faced downward pressure due to IMF “concerns over the lack of adjustments to electricity tariffs and no reduction in property taxes, as reported in the news”. Earlier, it was widely reported in the media through official leaks that the prime minister would announce a Rs8 per unit reduction in electricity rates in his speech to the nation on March 23. The prime minister, however, did not announce any such relief package in his Pakistan Day speech.
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Stocks slump on profit-taking
Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Monday took a deep dive after hitting record highs last week as the KSE-100 index plunged over 2,000 points primarily due to institutional profit-taking across various sectors. Market jitters were compounded by reports of the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) disapproval of policy changes including a reduction in property transaction rates, lowering March 2025 tax target and slashing industrial power tariffs, which weighed heavily on investor sentiment. Additionally, the negative impact of rising Karachi Inter-bank Offered Rate (Kibor) and an increase in royalty on cement manufacturers in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) further contributed to the market's downturn.
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Monday, March 24 2025

Equities resume record-setting spree in robust week
A positive review of the economy by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and progress on the resolution of energy sector circular debt kept equity investors bullish, driving the benchmark KSE 100 index to scale an all-time high near 119,000 in the outgoing week. The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) continued its northward journey for the sixth week. The index, which reached an intra-week all-time high of 119,406 after opening at 115,958, fell to an intra-week low of 115,883. Ultimately, it closed at 118,442.18, adding 2,906 points or 2.52 per cent week-on-week. Arif Habib Ltd (AHL) said the market sentiment was supported by expectations of a Staff-Level Agreement (SLA) between Pakistan and IMF following the conclusion of the first review under the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility, which will be a road to disbursement of the second tranche of $1.1bn.
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Friday, March 21 2025

Index hits record high on economic optimism
The stock market continued its record-setting streak for the second consecutive session on Thursday, pushing the benchmark KSE 100 index above 118,000. Topline Securities Ltd said the stock market continued its bullish momentum, reaching record-high levels with a record-high trading value in nearly two months. The benchmark index surged to an intraday high of 1,447 at 119,421.81 points before settling at 118,769.77, a rise of 795 points or 0.67pc day-on-day. This strong upward movement was primarily driven by aggressive buying from local mutual funds, as investor confidence remained high on expectations of an imminent IMF review, which might be completed earlier than expected. Mari Energies stole the spotlight, recording a staggering Rs7.17 billion in traded value, as investors speculated on a potential announcement in its emergent board meeting scheduled for Friday.
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Wednesday, March 19 2025

Bulls stage 801-point rally on IMF optimism
The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) extended its bullish spell to a fourth straight session on Tuesday, helping the benchmark KSE 100 index breach another barrier of 117,000 thanks to optimism related to the IMF’s positive review of the economy. Topline Securities Ltd said the bulls dominated the session, propelling the benchmark index to an intraday high of 1,002 points before settling at 117,001, up 801 points or 0.69 per cent day-on-day. The positive sentiment was primarily driven by encouraging economic developments. According to news reports, the IMF has permitted Pakistan to borrow Rs1.25tr ($4.5bn) from domestic banks to help manage the Rs2.4tr circular debt in the power sector without increasing public debt.
Related news categories: business economic-indicators psx stock-exchanges