Overview
- The KSE-100 closed near 185,099 after a gain of about 3,642–3,643 points, helped by easing US–Iran tensions and renewed local institutional buying.
- The rally capped a volatile week that saw the index drop 1,381 points on Wednesday and 1,113 points on Thursday to 181,456 on lighter turnover and net foreign selling reported by NCCPL.
- Oil and gas leaders OGDC and Pakistan Petroleum, along with Hub Power, drove Friday’s rebound, while earlier pressure had weighed on banks, cement, fertiliser and technology stocks.
- Trading strengthened on Friday to roughly 956–960 million shares and about Rs69–70 billion in value, up from ~820 million shares and Rs46 billion in the prior session.
- Analysts see range-bound trade around 180,000–187,000 with cautious buy-on-dips, as a Jan 26 SBP decision approaches and inflation risks temper rate-cut expectations.