Karachi, February 18, 2026 – The KSE-100 index of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) made a remarkable recovery on Wednesday, surging over 5,700 points amid renewed investor confidence. After days of selling pressure, positive sentiments returned, with the benchmark closing at 178,853 points, up from the previous day’s 173,150 points.
Market analysts attributed the rally to buying momentum across key sectors, including automobile assemblers, cement, commercial banks, oil and gas exploration companies (E&P), OMCs, and power generation and refinery stocks. Heavyweight index stocks such as HBL, MCB, MEBL, MARI, OGDC, POL, PPL, HUBCO, and PSO contributed significantly to the gains.
The recovery coincides with positive macroeconomic news as Pakistan’s current account returned to surplus in January 2026. According to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the current account posted a surplus of $121 million, compared with a deficit of $265 million in December 2025. On a year-on-year basis, the external balance also improved, reducing the deficit from $393 million in January 2025.
KSE-100 Index Summary – February 18, 2026
Parameter Value
| Current Index | 178,853.09 |
| Change | 5,702.68 |
| Percent Change | 3.29% |
| High | 178,974.16 |
| Low | 174,328.61 |
| Volume | 424,992,070 |
| Previous Close | 173,150.41 |
| Value (PKR) | 42,306,082,359 |
Investors remain optimistic as sustained inflows of workers’ remittances and improved external balances are expected to support market stability. Analysts suggest that PSX could continue its upward momentum if macroeconomic indicators remain positive in the coming weeks.