ISLAMABAD (PEN) : The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed sustained bullish sentiment on Friday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index gaining nearly 300 points during early trading hours, driven by continued buying in key sectors.
Market Performance
As of 10:00 AM, the KSE-100 Index stood at *119,259.25, marking an increase of **287.85 points, or **0.24%, from the previous close. The uptrend follows a strong performance on Thursday, when the index added **638.50 points, closing at **118,971.40*.
Sector-Wise Momentum
Investor confidence remained high across several major sectors. Positive movement was observed in:
*Cement*
*Chemicals*
*Commercial Banks*
*Fertilizers*
*Oil and Gas Exploration Companies*
*Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs)*
*Power Generation*
Notable gainers during early trade included heavyweight stocks such as *HUBCO, **NRL, **PRL, **PSO, **MARI, **OGDC, **PPL, **HBL, **NBP, **MCB, and **UBL*, all of which were trading in the green.
Global Market Snapshot
Globally, Asian equities faced headwinds as regional indices declined following judicial developments in the United States. A U.S. appeals court temporarily reinstated tariffs introduced during Donald Trump’s presidency, influencing investor sentiment.
*Japan’s Nikkei 225* dropped *1.7%* amid yen strength, erasing Thursday’s gains.
*Hong Kong’s Hang Seng* fell *1.4%*
*China’s CSI 300* slipped *0.3%*
*South Korea’s KOSPI* eased *0.5%*
*MSCI Asia-Pacific (ex-Japan)* index declined *0.4%*
The *U.S. dollar* weakened, while *Treasury yields* dropped, reflecting cautious global sentiment.
Outlook
With domestic market sentiment buoyed by positive earnings expectations and global oil price trends, analysts suggest the PSX could continue to see short-term bullish activity, barring any significant macroeconomic or geopolitical developments.
