PSX crosses 190,000 barrier for first time on optimism over policy rate cut

2026-01-26 - 04:59

KARACHI – The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) started the new business week on a strong and positive note, achieving a new record amid growing expectations of a policy rate cut by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). The KSE-100 index gained an impressive 1,288.62 points in the early session, reaching an all-time high of 190,455.44 points. This represented a notable 0.68 percent increase from the previous close of 189,166.82 points. Market experts attributed the bullish momentum to rising investor confidence, fueled by the anticipation of a reduction in the monetary policy rate, which currently stands at 10.5 percent. The State Bank of Pakistan is scheduled to announce its revised interest rate today (Monday). The business community and investors have been urging the central bank to lower the rate in order to further stimulate economic activities and promote business growth across the country. The expected rate cut has been a key factor driving investor optimism in recent trading sessions. In the previous sessions, the stock market also reached a new milestone on Friday, pushing the benchmark KSE-100 index past 189,000 points as renewed investor interest picked up momentum in the final trading hours of the week. The PSX closed at a record high, with the KSE-100 index finishing at 189,166.83 points, marking a gain of 1,478.67 points, or an increase of 0.79 percent. Meanwhile, gold prices in Pakistan are likely to record another jump amid prevailing geopolitical tensions. Currently, gold rates in Pakistan opened at Rs521,162 per tola as it recorded an increase of Rs6,50 in previous session. The price of 10-gram stands at Rs446,812.