KARACHI:

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed strong buying interest on Thursday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index climbing over 2,800 points in midday trade, reflecting renewed investor confidence following Wednesday’s recovery.

As of midday, the KSE-100 Index stood at 178,124.14, up 2,838.36 points or 1.62 percent from the previous close of 175,285.78. The index touched an intraday high of 178,431.73 and a low of 175,672.33. Market breadth remained positive amid active participation across key sectors.

Trading volume reached 144.6 million shares, while the total value traded stood at Rs13.72 billion. The uptick comes as investors appear to be building on yesterday’s rebound, driven by selective value buying in blue-chip stocks despite lingering geopolitical uncertainties in the Middle East as Iran says it targeted bases in Kuwait and Jordan after a new wave of US strikes.

Read: PSX regains ground, ends up 1,767 points

Banking, oil and gas exploration, cement, and fertiliser stocks were likely leading the gains, consistent with recent patterns of broad-based accumulation after recent volatility.

The recovery highlights resilience in Pakistan’s equity market, even as participants monitor regional developments and domestic economic indicators. Market participants remain cautious but optimistic, with many viewing current levels as attractive for selective entry.