Overview
- KSE-100 rose 1,277.69 points on Friday to close at 161,935.19 after a 2,474-point jump the previous session, as confidence improved on political clarity and financing hopes.
- Buying concentrated in banks, oil and gas, power and cement, with Habib Bank, United Bank, Maple Leaf Cement, OGDC, Pakistan Petroleum, Hub Power and Pioneer among key contributors.
- Maple Leaf Cement’s plan to acquire a controlling stake in Pioneer Cement, disclosed to the exchange, bolstered cement-sector sentiment pending regulatory approvals.
- Overall activity cooled, with volumes easing to about 673 million shares and foreign investors posting net selling of roughly Rs784.7 million, according to NCCPL data.
- The latest weekly Sensitive Price Indicator showed a 4.15% year-on-year increase, and analysts flagged law-and-order and regional risks as potential checks on momentum.