Pakistan stock market closes at historic high of 138,665 points

Pakistan’s stock market closed above the 138,000 mark for the first time ever on Thursday, setting a record high amid heavy inflows from financial institutions, driven by strong corporate earnings expectations.

The benchmark KSE-100 index surged 2,285 points, or 1.68%, to close at 138,665, after hitting an intraday high of 2,563 points. Analysts attributed the rally to strong institutional interest and renewed investor confidence.

“The rally was driven by heavy institutional flows, with local investors stepping in to scoop up value, reigniting market momentum,” said an analyst from Topline Securities.

Fertilizer stocks led the charge, with FFC and EFERT posting solid gains and contributing a combined 563 points to the index. UBL, SYS, ENGROH and HUBC also performed strongly, together adding 763 points — signaling broad-based strength among blue-chip names.

Market activity was brisk, with trading volumes exceeding 778 million shares and traded value reaching PKR 39.95 billion. PIBTL topped the volume charts, with 82.6 million shares traded.

An analyst from Ismail Iqbal Securities noted that the KSE-100 index reached all-time highs both intraday and at close, supported by strong liquidity and positioning ahead of earnings season.

The market also drew optimism from speculation that U.S. President Donald Trump might visit Pakistan — a claim later denied due to his scheduled UK visit. While the rumor was debunked, it briefly lifted sentiment amid hopes of a softer U.S. trade stance and potential tariff relief, particularly for the textile sector.

An analyst from Pearl Securities said the index’s decisive break above 138,000 reflected elevated investor confidence, underpinned by strong corporate expectations and sustained institutional activity.

An analyst from Al Habib Capital added that sentiment was further supported by growing expectations of a potential interest rate cut, following a decline in yields during Wednesday’s Pakistan Investment Bond (PIB) auction.