PSX capitalisation rises 8.5% to $59.2 billion as KSE-100 gains 18.4% in 9MFY26

The Pakistan Stock Exchange's benchmark KSE-100 Index gained 18.4% during the first nine months of FY2025-26, while the market's capitalisation increased to Rs16.53 trillion ($59.23 billion), according to the Economic Survey of Pakistan 2025-26.

The survey attributed the stock market's performance to improving macroeconomic indicators, easing inflation, a stronger external account, investor confidence in the government's reform agenda, and progress under the International Monetary Fund's Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme.

The KSE-100 Index rose from 125,627 points at the end of June 2025 to 148,743 points by March 31, 2026. During the period, the benchmark touched an all-time high closing level of 189,167 points on January 23, 2026, while its lowest level was 128,199 points on July 1, 2025.

Market capitalisation increased by 8.5% to Rs16.53 trillion ($59.23 billion) as of March 31, 2026, compared with Rs15.24 trillion ($53 billion) at the end of June 2025.

Trading activity also strengthened, with average daily volumes rising to 1.206 billion shares during July-March FY2026, compared with 834 million shares in FY2025.

As of March 31, 2026, the Pakistan Stock Exchange had 536 listed companies with a total listed capital of Rs1.63 trillion.

The survey noted that market momentum weakened in February due to tensions with Afghanistan, rising regional geopolitical risks, higher international oil prices, foreign selling, profit-taking by investors and slower trading activity during Ramadan.

Compared with regional markets, Pakistan ranked among the better-performing exchanges but trailed South Korea's KOSPI, which gained 64.5%. Thailand's SET Index rose 32.9%, Vietnam's VN30 advanced 23.8%, Singapore's FTSE Straits Times increased 23.2%, while the MSCI Emerging Markets Index gained 13.8%.

The survey noted that India's BSE Sensex 30 and the Philippines' PSEi Composite Index recorded declines during the period.