PSX smashes past 166,000 in record-breaking intraday rally

: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Tuesday carried forward the bullish wave from a day earlier and broke through historic barriers, with the benchmark KSE-100 index making fresh records in intraday trade. Market sentiment remained upbeat as investors continued to ride the momentum of strong buying across major sectors, sending the index soaring to levels never seen before in the exchange’s history.

Midday surge lifts index past 165,000

After midday, the KSE-100 crossed the 165,000 mark and pushed to 165,950.84 points by 12:39 PM, recording a gain of 2,103.16 points compared with the previous day’s close. Trading activity was robust at that stage, with volumes reaching nearly 302 million shares. The gains came on the back of Monday’s remarkable performance, where the benchmark had closed at 163,847.68 after adding 1,590.68 points or almost 1 percent in a single day.

Historic rally extends beyond 166,000

By late noon, the rally only gathered more pace. The PSX went on to break the 166,000 level and hit 166,034.31 points at 12:49 PM, an increase of 2,186.63 points or 1.33 percent. Volumes at this point had swelled to over 32.7 billion shares traded, highlighting the intensity of market activity. In early trade, the market’s lowest point still remained comfortably above Monday’s closing level, with the index dipping to 164,208.33 points around 10:40 AM, before regaining strength. That low still marked a gain of 360 points over the previous session.

The bullish momentum persisted as the day progressed. At 12:49 PM, the KSE-100 index touched yet another peak of 166,411.36 points, marking an intraday rise of 2,563.68 points or 1.56 percent. This was the highest level in the PSX’s history as of Tuesday’s trade, further cementing the exchange’s remarkable turnaround over the past year.

Year-to-date and annual performance

As of 12:55 PM, the day’s range stood between 164,208.33 points at the low and 166,411.36 points at the high. In broader terms, the 52-week range of the index has now stretched from a low of 80,352.22 points to this fresh all-time high. In percentage terms, the KSE-100 is up by 105.16 percent compared with a year earlier, while the year-to-date gain now stands at 44.55 percent.

Banking and cement stocks drive gains

Market movers played a big role in fuelling the index higher. Among the top gainers on Tuesday were Kohinoor Power (KOHP), Fecto Cement (FECM), Dadex Eternit (DADX), Gharibwal Cement (GEMBCEM), and Sapphire Fibres (SFL), each rising by the maximum 10 percent. Other heavyweights like RCML, SSOM, Shezan International, and DMC also rallied by the same margin. On the losing side, PSYL, Gem Bluex, Shifa Hospitals, KCL, and UVIC were among the hardest hit, shedding between 7 and 10 percent.

Banking stocks led the KSE-100’s performance with solid gains across major counters. Habib Bank Limited (HBL) traded higher by 7.47 percent at Rs298.90, while Faysal Bank (FABL) jumped 6.47 percent to Rs96.25. United Bank Limited (UBL) surged by over 5 percent to Rs394.90, while Askari Bank (BAHL) and Bank of Punjab (BOP) also posted gains between 3.7 and 4.5 percent. Meezan Bank (MEBL) closed in the green as well, reflecting the strong investor appetite for financials.

Other stocks that contributed to the rally included Pioneer Cement (POML), which advanced nearly 6 percent, and Fauji Cement (FCCL), which rose 4.7 percent. YouW (YOUW) and Pak Elektron Limited (PAEL) also posted modest gains. On the flip side, losses were observed in Fauji Hamid Ali Mills (FHAM), Nishat Power (NPL), Kohinoor Textile Mills (KTML), and Millat Tractors (MTL), among others, which shed between 1 and 3 percent each.

Optimism drives the record rally

The energy sector too attracted interest, while fertiliser, cement, and exploration companies added to the momentum. Tuesday’s moves followed Monday’s close where fertiliser and banking stocks were the main contributors, with Fauji Fertiliser, Pakistan State Oil, HBL, and National Bank of Pakistan driving the index higher. Monday had also seen 60 out of 100 index companies close positive.

PSX closing history (September 2025)