Pakistan Stock Exchange 118,000 mark on growing economic optimism

Karachi – The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) saw a remarkable surge on Thursday, with the benchmark KSE-100 index reaching another historic high during intraday trading. The index rose by 1,359.73 points, reaching an intraday peak of 118,367.81 points, compared to the previous close of 117,008.08 points.

The continued bullish trend in the market comes as investors express growing optimism about the country’s economic outlook. This surge is fuelled by the federal government’s ambitious economic reforms, aimed at stabilising and revitalising the national economy.

On December 31, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif launched the ‘Uraan Pakistan’ initiative—a five-year national economic plan focused on achieving sustainable growth and economic stability. The program highlights key areas such as the digital economy, energy, infrastructure, the environment, and job creation. In his address, the Prime Minister emphasised that this plan would provide a clear roadmap for economic progress in the coming years.

In addition to the government’s efforts, the recent decline in inflation has further strengthened investor confidence. The inflation rate dropped to 4.1 percent, the lowest in 81 months, as per data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. This marks a substantial improvement from 49 percent in June of last year and 29.7 percent in December 2023.

The Wholesale Price Index also saw a decline, recording 1.9 percent in December 2024, down from 2.3 percent in June and 27.3 percent in December 2023.

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