KARACHI:

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) ended Friday on a positive note, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index closing at 176,094 points, gaining 546 points (+0.31 per cent) day-on-day.

Trading activity remained moderate, with benchmark volumes at 210 million shares. Volume leaders within the KSE-100 were CNERGY at 50 million shares, PIBTL at 21 million shares, and KEL at 14 million shares, said Ahmed Sheraz of KASB KTrade.

Market performance was mixed beneath the surface. On the stock front, ENGROH, HBL, LUCK, BAHL, and AKBL contributed the most to the index’s gains. Sector-wise, commercial banks, investment banks, cement, and textile companies provided the strongest positive support.

Read: Geopolitics, oil spike drag PSX down

Meanwhile, oil prices remained broadly stable compared to yesterday. Brent crude traded in the US$86 to US$87/bbl range for most of the session before rebounding to around US$89 to US$90/bbl later in the day. The late recovery in oil prices coincided with some profit-taking during the final trading hour, reflecting the typical Friday risk reduction ahead of the weekend.

Looking ahead, investor sentiment is likely to remain cautious at the start of next week as participants monitor geopolitical developments over the weekend, particularly the US-Iran situation. Any positive headlines could support market sentiment on Monday, while renewed tensions may keep investors defensive.