Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) Opens with Modest Gains Amid Cautious Optimism

📅 Date: March 25, 2025
📍 Morning Market Update

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) opened today on a slightly positive note, attempting to recover from Monday’s steep losses. As of 12:09 PM, the benchmark KSE-100 Index had gained 202.98 points, reaching 116,642.60, reflecting a 0.17% increase. While investors welcomed buying opportunities after yesterday’s correction, the market continues to remain cautious due to uncertainties surrounding the IMF program negotiations and fluctuating global oil prices.

🔁 Previous Session Recap – March 24, 2025

The KSE-100 Index tumbled by 2,002.56 points or 1.69%, closing at 116,439.62. This was one of the sharpest single-day declines in recent weeks and came amid concerns over policy disagreements with the IMF regarding taxation and energy sector reforms.

🔸 Key Factors Behind the Fall:

Profit-taking by both institutional and retail investors.
Concerns over IMF’s rejection of tax relief on property and power subsidies.
Weak performance from oil & gas and cement sectors, due to global and domestic pressures.
Decrease in investor risk appetite after several bullish sessions.

🔢 Key Index Performance (as of 12:09 PM):

KSE-100 Index: 116,642.60 (+202.98 points | +0.17%)
KSE All Share Index: 72,519.25 (+152.45 points | +0.21%)
KSE-30 Index: 35,800.33 (+97.29 points | +0.27%)
KMI-30 Index: 180,537.56 (+883.33 points | +0.49%)

📊 Market Activity So Far:

Total Volume Traded: 167.23 million shares
Total Value Traded: PKR 13.09 billion
Number of Trades: 133,576

🏆 Top Gainers:

Atlas Honda Ltd (ATLH): PKR 933.51 ▲ +8.44
Sazgar Engineering (SAZEW): PKR 1,081.80 ▲ +5.91
Ghandhara Ind. (GHNI): PKR 727.50 ▲ +4.92

📉 Top Losers:

Ghandhara Nissan Ltd (GHNL): PKR 460.62 ▼ -5.13
Hinopak Motor (HINOON): PKR 369.00 ▼ -3.50
Honda Atlas Cars (HCAR): PKR 290.50 ▼ -2.46

🌐 Market Insights & Economic Context:

🔹 IMF Talks Under Spotlight:

Recent reports suggest the IMF has flagged issues with Pakistan’s adjustments in property-related taxes and electricity subsidies. The uncertainty has kept market sentiment in check, particularly in sectors that are directly influenced by fiscal changes, like real estate, energy, and cement.

🔹 Global Oil Prices Impact:

The decline in international crude oil prices is pressuring local oil and gas stocks such as OGDC, PPL, and MARI, which are heavily weighted in the index.

🔹 Sector Highlights:

Automobile Assemblers are showing resilience with notable gains in Atlas Honda and Sazgar Engineering.
Cement stocks continue to be under pressure due to higher royalty concerns in KPK.
Banks are showing a mixed trend as investors reassess exposure following SBP’s interest rate hold.

🔮 Outlook for the Rest of the Day:

While the market has opened in the green, it is likely to remain volatile during the rest of the session. Investors may look for direction from:

Government responses to IMF’s objections,
Any new updates on international oil markets, and
Anticipated corporate earnings that could influence investor confidence.

🔧 Key Technical Levels:

Immediate Support: 116,000
Resistance Level: 117,300 – 117,800

📢 Stay updated with real-time PSX news, market commentary, and economic insights at DailyForex.pk – your go-to source for financial updates in Pakistan.

Hamza Shah