The KSE-100 Index surged by 2,425.74 points, or 1.52%, reaching a record high of 161,705.83 points for the first time. Strong buying activity was observed in cement, commercial banks, oil and gas exploration companies, oil marketing companies, power producers, and refineries. Notable gainers included Mari Petroleum, Hubco, ARL, OGDC, PPL, POL, and PSO, all of which closed in positive territory.
In a significant political development, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, accompanied by Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. During their discussions on the Middle East situation, the Prime Minister praised Trump’s efforts to end the war in Gaza immediately—particularly his initiative earlier in the week to invite key Muslim leaders to New York for comprehensive talks on peace in Gaza and the West Bank.
On Thursday, the stock market’s bullish momentum continued, fueled by optimism over government measures aimed at resolving the crippling circular debt issue. This pushed the KSE-100 Index to a then-record high of 159,280.09 points, marking an increase of 1,043.42 points or 0.66%.
Globally, however, Asian markets declined on Friday, with pharmaceutical companies taking notable losses. The downturn followed U.S. President Trump’s announcement of new tariffs, as investors scaled back expectations of a sharp interest rate cut in the United States after stronger-than-expected economic data
