On Tuesday, the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) achieved a significant milestone, surging past the 54,000-point mark, in hopes of a positive outcome from ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The KSE-100 index extended its bullish trend for the third consecutive day, posting a gain of 417.69 points or 0.78% during intraday trading, reaching a level of 54,278.05 points. Samiullah Tariq, the Head of Research at Pakistan-Kuwait, stated, “Anticipations of a reduction in the monetary policy’s interest rate and robust corporate profitability have played pivotal roles in boosting the KSE-100.”
Furthermore, the announcement of upcoming general elections contributed to this upswing, as investors are hopeful for increased political stability within the country.
Presently, the IMF’s review mission is actively engaged in Pakistan, working on finalizing the first review under the $3 billion loan program. There is a possibility of the release of the second tranche amounting to $700 million by the end of December 2023, contingent on both parties reaching a staff-level agreement by the conclusion of these discussions.
Just the day before, the PSX had experienced substantial gains, with an increase of 737.33 points or 1.39%, culminating in a closing value of 53,860.37 points. This overall positive momentum in the stock market reflects the dynamic interplay of economic and political factors shaping Pakistan’s financial landscape.