Pakistan stocks close at 150,591 record high points on corporate earnings, institutional buying

A stockbroker walks past share prices on a financial market board during a trading session at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) in Karachi on April 9, 2025. (REUTERS/File)
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Updated 20 August 2025
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Pakistan stocks close at 150,591 record high points on corporate earnings, institutional buying

  • Financial analyst describes market participation as “vibrant,” with total volume of shares traded surging to 662 million
  • Rally comes amid signs of stabilization in economy after IMF bailout, credit rating upgrades from international agencies 

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) closed at a record high of 150,591 points on Wednesday, with a leading brokerage firm attributing the surge to strong corporate earnings and institutional buying. 

The bullish trend at the stock market picked up from Tuesday, when the benchmark KSE-100 Index ended the session at 149,771 points. Analysts said the surge was driven by strong institutional inflows, which powered gains in the banking and cement shares. 

The bulls showed no signs of fatigue despite the floods on Wednesday, notching an intraday record high of 1,490 points before settling at 150,591 when trading ended, up by 820 points or 0.55 percent from the previous day’s close. 

“The upward momentum was underpinned by better-than-expected corporate earnings and a strong liquidity push from local institutions, lifting the benchmark to uncharted heights,” Karachi-based brokerage firm Topline Securities said in a statement. 

It noted that investor confidence remained “buoyant” as market heavyweights attracted “robust flows.”

Topline Securities described the market participation as “vibrant,” saying that traded volume surged to 662 million shares and at a value of Rs40.5 billion [$143.46 million]. 

“BOP [Bank of Punjab] led the volume chart, with 52 million shares changing hands during the session,” it concluded. 

Adviser to the Finance Minister Khurram Schehzad took to X on Tuesday to attribute the bullish trend at the stock market to Pakistan’s “rising global credibility, home-grown structural reforms agenda with positive macroeconomic outlook” that he said had turned into strong investor confidence. 

The PSX rally comes amid signs of stabilization in Pakistan’s economy after the country secured a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout in September 2024 and saw recent upgrades by international ratings agencies.

Inflation has eased from a peak of 38 percent in 2023 to 4.1 percent in July 2025, while the rupee has stabilized against the dollar.


Pakistan highlights $38 billion annual remittances on International Migrants Day

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Pakistan highlights $38 billion annual remittances on International Migrants Day

  • PM describes over 12 million overseas Pakistanis as vital national asset
  • Sharif vows skills training and protections for migrant workers

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday paid tribute to its overseas workers, describing them as a national asset whose remittances of more than $38 billion annually provide vital support to the economy and millions of families, as the country observed International Migrants Day.

Every year, the world marks International Migrants Day on Dec. 18 to spotlight the contributions of millions of migrants worldwide. It also recognizes migrants’ critical role in labor market worldwide where they fill gaps, drive innovation and entrepreneurship. 

In his statement, Sharif described over 12 million overseas Pakistanis as the country’s “valuable national asset,” noting that their annual remittances of $38 billion are crucial for the cash-strapped country. 

“The Government of Pakistan considers it essential to equip outgoing workers with skills, as success in today’s global economy requires not only technical expertise but also social skills and proficiency in languages,” the PMO quoted Sharif as saying. 

Sharif mentioned that his government was aligning technical and vocational training systems with international standards. 

He said Islamabad is also promoting social training, diverse skills development and foreign language education so that the Pakistani workforce can meet the demands of the modern era.

“Through the European Union Talent Partnership and various Memoranda of Understanding signed with different countries, Pakistan is establishing an organized system to ensure international recognition of overseas Pakistanis’ skills and the protection of their rights,” he said. 

Every year Pakistan exports thousands of skilled and unskilled labor to various countries around the world, particularly the Gulf countries. 

These workers remit billions of dollars collectively for their family members in Pakistan, which ultimately proves crucial for a nation struggling to evade a macroeconomic crisis.