PSX hits all-time high on optimism over army chief’s US visit, trade hopes

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) soared to an all-time high on Monday, closing comfortably above the 146,000-point mark, driven by optimism that Field Marshal Asim Munir’s upcoming visit to the United States will strengthen trade and economic ties.

Investor sentiment was further lifted by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb’s remarks that foreign companies are preparing to invest in Pakistan, particularly in the mining sector, as well as the government’s approval of the country’s first National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy, which aims to create three million jobs and boost GDP by 7–12% by 2030.

Buying interest surged in the exploration and production (E&P) and oil marketing company (OMC) sectors on expectations that the long-delayed power sector circular debt transaction will be executed this week.

Analysts also pointed to improved corporate results, robust mutual fund inflows, and speculation about potential U.S. investments under a Pak-U.S. trade deal as key drivers of the rally.

Market optimism was reinforced by Gallup Pakistan’s latest business confidence survey, which found that 61% of respondents expect business conditions to improve in the coming months. Over the past year, the PSX has delivered an 87% return on investment, cementing its position among the world’s top-performing markets.

Since the start of the current fiscal year, the exchange has risen by 16% in dollar terms and 15% in rupee terms. Market capitalization now stands at $61.5 billion, or PKR 17.529 trillion.