The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) kicked off the new trading week on Monday with historic gains, as the benchmark KSE-100 Index crossed the 174,000-point mark for the first time ever. The milestone reflects growing investor confidence and a positive outlook for Pakistan’s equity market.

During intraday trading, the KSE-100 Index surged by over 1,900 points, or 1.10 percent, reaching a record high of 174,411 points. Out of 563 active companies, 171 saw their share prices advance, 158 declined, and 171 remained unchanged. The rally was driven by strong buying interest in key sectors including automobile assemblers, cement, commercial banks, fertilizers, oil and gas exploration, OMCs, and power generation and refineries. Heavyweights such as ARL, HUBCO, MARI, OGDC, PPL, POL, HBL, MEBL, and MCB traded in the green, contributing significantly to the overall market surge.

The bullish sentiment follows a strong close on December 26, 2025, when the KSE-100 Index gained 1,570.51 points, or 0.92 percent, settling at 172,400.73 points. The ready market saw a trading volume of 797.999 million shares with a traded value of Rs 38.062 billion, compared to 811.558 million shares worth Rs 29.795 billion in the previous session. Market capitalization increased to Rs 19.465 trillion from Rs 19.361 trillion.

WorldCall Telecom led the volume chart with 79.32 million shares, followed by Bank of Punjab at 78.05 million shares and K-Electric Limited at 33.06 million shares. Top gainers included Ismail Industries Limited, which climbed Rs 62.76 to Rs 1,984.69, and Murree Brewery Company Limited, up Rs 35.02 to Rs 1,080.17. On the losing side, PIA Holding Company Limited-B dropped Rs 1,483.45 to Rs 17,666.14, while Rafhan Maize Products Company Limited fell Rs 653.22 to Rs 10,259.54.

In the futures market, turnover reached 972.427 million shares with a traded value of Rs 46.944 billion, compared to 720.406 million shares worth Rs 37.983 billion in the previous session.

According to Arif Habib Limited’s report, “Pakistan Investment Strategy 2026: The Equity Edge Continues,” the PSX is expected to remain the best-performing asset class in 2026, supported by improving macroeconomic stability, easing inflationary pressures, and sustained domestic liquidity.