Karachi, September 18, 2025 – The benchmark KSE-100 index surged sharply on Thursday, gaining 1,775 points as investor sentiment turned bullish after the signing of a landmark defense pact between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The index closed at 157,953 points, up from the previous day’s level of 156,178 points.
Analysts at Topline Securities observed that market bulls dominated trading, with optimism fueled by the Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement (SMDA) signed during Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Riyadh. Riding this wave, the KSE-100 index touched an intraday peak of 1,904 points before settling with a robust gain of 1,775 points (+1.14%).
The rally was further supported by strong performance from blue-chip stocks. Major contributions came from ENGROH, NBP, MARI, UBL, and BOP, which together added 733 points to the index. Analysts noted that this blue-chip momentum reaffirmed investor confidence in the broader market outlook.
Trading activity also remained buoyant, with volumes reaching 1,957 million shares and the total traded value recorded at PKR 56.9 billion. CNERGY stood out as the most active stock of the session, leading the board with 213 million shares exchanged.
Market experts believe that if positive news flow continues, the KSE-100 index may maintain upward momentum in the coming sessions, strengthening the confidence of both institutional and retail investors in Pakistan’s equity market.