Karachi
The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a notable increase in the KSE-100 Index, climbing by 381 points, marking a positive change of 0.58 per cent and closing at 65,906.28 points on Tuesday (March 26). This surge came amidst a day of mixed performance, with intraday highs and lows recorded at 65,990 and 65,493 points, respectively.
Trading activity was robust, with 303,710,027 shares valued at Rs12.078 billion exchanged, reflecting an increase from the previous day’s trading volume and value. A total of 333 companies participated in the market, with 171 gaining, 143 sustaining losses, and 19 remaining unchanged.
Key highlights included PIA C, PTCL, and National Bank XD emerging as the top trading companies. Rafhan Maize Products Company Limited experienced the highest increase in share price, followed closely by Sapphire Fiber Limited. Conversely, Bata Pakistan Limited and Philip Morris (Pakistan) Limited faced declines in their share prices.
Sector-wise, Fertiliser, Banking, and Cement sectors contributed positively to the index’s gains, driven by companies like Fauji Fertilizer Company, Meezan Bank, and Lucky Cement. However, losses incurred by companies such as Engro Fertilizers, Bank Alfalah, and MCB Bank Limited partially offset these gains.
The three top trading companies were PIA C with 30,297,500 shares at Rs25.39 per share, PTCL with 28,146,003 shares with 16.10 per share and National Bank XD with 21,033,972 shares at Rs40.56 per share.
Rafhan Maize Products Company Limited witnessed a maximum increase of Rs89.89 per share price, closing at Rs8,290.00, whereas the runner-up was Sapphire Fiber Limited with a Rs87.50 rise in its per share price to Rs1,582.50.
Bata Pakistan Limited witnessed a maximum decrease of Rs37.17 per share closing at Rs1,680.00, followed by Philip Morris (Pakistan) Limited with Rs25.00 decline to close at Rs710.00.
The surge in the stock market can be attributed to positive investor sentiment, encouraging economic indicators, and expectations of policy stability. This optimism reflects confidence in Pakistan’s market, fuelled by prospects of economic growth and stability.
Looking ahead, market analysts foresee continued volatility influenced by global economic trends, geopolitical developments, and domestic policy decisions. Despite this, the overall outlook remains positive, with investors keen on seizing opportunities for growth and value creation in Pakistan’s dynamic stock market.