KSE-100 Today: Pakistan Stock Exchange News Hits Record High

KARACHI – (Staff Reporter/Web Desk) – Karachi’s stock market delivered a strong performance on Friday, and anyone tracking KSE-100 today Pakistan stock exchange news saw the benchmark index jump by more than 1,700 points. Investors piled into shares after the State Bank of Pakistan announced record foreign remittances for the fiscal year 2025-26, giving traders fresh confidence in the country’s economic outlook.

By the time the market paused for Friday prayers, the KSE-100 Index had climbed to 182,989.51 points, marking a gain of nearly one percent. This kind of upward push reflects growing optimism among local and foreign investors alike.

Buying activity was seen almost everywhere on the trading floor. Automobile makers, cement producers, commercial banks, fertilizer companies, oil and gas explorers, and power generation firms all attracted strong interest. Big names like HUBCO, MARI, OGDC, POL, PPL, PSO, SSGC, MCB, MEBL, and UBL all closed in positive territory, showing that the rally wasn’t limited to just one sector.

The remittance news played a major role in lifting spirits at the exchange. Pakistan brought in a record $41.6 billion in workers’ remittances during FY26, the highest amount the country has ever recorded in a single year. Money sent home by overseas Pakistanis continues to be a lifeline for the economy, helping ease pressure on foreign reserves and supporting the rupee.

This bullish session came right after a shaky Thursday, when the market dropped 369.69 points and settled at 181,259.68 points. That dip followed a rough Wednesday, when tensions in the Middle East rattled investor confidence and triggered a sharp selloff. Blue-chip stocks helped the market recover some ground by Thursday’s close, setting the stage for Friday’s bigger rebound.

Markets across Asia also had a good day. Chip and technology companies led the gains, with investors choosing to look past worries about oil supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz. Attacks between the US and Iran have kept tensions high, putting a strain on a ceasefire that has barely held for three weeks.

Oil prices felt the impact of this uncertainty too. Brent crude was on track for a five percent weekly gain, its best week since early May. Even so, prices settled around $76.03 per barrel, well below the peak reached when the conflict first broke out at the end of February.

Japan’s Nikkei index rose 1.8 percent, while South Korea’s KOSPI, which has become a hotspot for AI-related stocks, gained 2.4 percent in early trading. Chip giants SK Hynix and Samsung both saw their shares climb 3 percent. Meanwhile, Taiwan’s markets stayed closed for the day.

For now, Pakistan’s stock market appears to be riding a wave of positive sentiment, fueled by strong remittance inflows and steady buying across major sectors. Investors will likely keep a close eye on both local economic indicators and global oil developments in the days ahead, since any shift in Middle East tensions could quickly change market direction.