KARACHI: The Pakistan stocks witnessed a positive trend on Friday, with the benchmark KSE-100 index of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) gaining 192 points. This increase was driven by investor optimism surrounding expectations that the key policy rate will remain unchanged in the upcoming monetary policy statement.
The KSE-100 index closed at 45,018 points, marking an increase from the previous day’s closing of 44,826 points. Analysts at Arif Habib Limited noted that bullish sentiment dominated the market, as investors anticipated a status quo in the upcoming Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting.
The stock market opened on a positive note and remained in the green zone throughout the trading session. Despite the gains, main board activity remained subdued. However, significant trading volumes were observed in third-tier stocks, which continued to attract investor attention.
During the last trading hour, value buying was observed as market participants positioned themselves ahead of upcoming corporate result announcements. This last-minute activity provided additional support to stock prices and reinforced the overall bullish sentiment.
Several key sectors contributed to the market’s performance, with Technology stocks adding 66.1 points to the index, followed by Banks (+52.9 points), Exploration & Production (+16.1 points), Textile Composite (+11.8 points), and Power (+11.1 points). These sectors played a crucial role in driving the stock market upward, as investors focused on potential growth opportunities.
Despite the overall gain in the index, market participation saw a decline. Trading volumes dropped from 254.2 million shares to 176.1 million shares, representing a 30.7% day-on-day decrease. Similarly, the traded value of stocks also saw a dip of 8.6%, reaching $40.1 million compared to the previous session’s $43.9 million.
Among the most actively traded stocks were TRG, JSCL, WTL, CNERGY, and GGL, which contributed significantly to the day’s volume. These stocks continued to attract investor interest, reflecting their importance in shaping market dynamics.
The stock market’s performance remains influenced by economic indicators, corporate earnings, and investor sentiment. As the policy announcement approaches, traders and analysts will closely monitor developments to assess potential impacts on stocks and overall market direction.