ISLAMABAD (PEN) : The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) continued its upward momentum on Monday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index crossing the 125,000-point mark for the first time in its history, propelled by broad-based buying across key sectors.
Market Rallies Over 1,100 Points
As of 1:25 PM, the KSE-100 was recorded at 125,518.65—up by 1,139.59 points or 0.92% in intraday trade. The rally was supported by strong performances from index-heavy sectors such as oil and gas exploration, commercial banking, cement, refineries, and power generation.
Prominent gainers included major names like *OGDC, **PPL, **MARI, **HUBCO, **POL, **ARL, **SSGC, and **PSO*, all of which traded in the green.
Record-Breaking Weekly Performance
The surge follows a highly positive previous week where the index gained 4,355 points—an increase of 3.6% week-on-week—closing at an all-time high of 124,379 points on Friday.
Analysts attributed the market’s bullish run to a combination of factors, including the *smooth approval of the federal budget* in the National Assembly and *easing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East*, which improved investor confidence.
Global Cues Support Risk-On Sentiment
Internationally, Asian markets also showed strength on Monday. Japan’s Nikkei index rose by 1.6%, and South Korea’s benchmark gained 0.8%. Meanwhile, U.S. stock futures pointed to a positive open, with *Nasdaq futures up 0.4%* and *S\&P 500 e-minis gaining 0.3%*.
Investor sentiment improved further after Canada announced it would *withdraw its digital services tax*, a move seen as a concession in ongoing trade talks with the U.S., which had earlier set a July 9 deadline for reciprocal tariffs. The new target for a deal is now July 21, with most agreements anticipated before Labor Day in September.
Concerns linger, however, over the U.S. Senate’s delay in passing a major tax-and-spending bill. The Congressional Budget Office has projected that the bill would add \$3.3 trillion to national debt, raising questions about continued foreign demand for U.S. Treasuries.
Despite macroeconomic uncertainties, demand remained strong for U.S. tech stocks, including *Nvidia, **Alphabet, and **Amazon*, helping lift global market sentiment.
Outlook Remains Positive
With the KSE-100 continuing its historic climb and foreign sentiment improving, market analysts expect trading volumes to remain high in the coming sessions. However, they advise caution amid ongoing global fiscal policy shifts and geopolitical developments.
