PSX recovers sharply as T+1 cycle begins

ISLAMABAD: (Web Desk) – The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) staged a strong recovery on Wednesday after two consecutive days of losses. During intraday trading, the KSE-100 index surged by 650 points, closing at 182,803.94, reflecting a 0.36 percent gain.

Among 564 active companies in the ready market, 250 posted gains, 196 saw declines, and 118 remained unchanged. The previous day, the benchmark index had dipped 186.83 points, or 0.10 percent, ending at 182,153.55 points.

Trading activity saw 1.062 billion shares exchanged with a total value of Rs 37.884 billion, compared to 931.363 million shares worth Rs 58.876 billion in the prior session. Market capitalization decreased slightly to Rs 20.634 trillion from Rs 20.710 trillion.

In a significant market reform, Pakistan’s capital market has transitioned to a T+1 settlement cycle, effective February 9, 2026. This change enhances operational efficiency, reduces risk, and aligns PSX with global best practices, replacing the previous T+2 system.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s remittances recorded robust growth in the first seven months of fiscal year 2026, rising 11 percent year-on-year to $23.2 billion, according to a report by Arif Habib Limited. January 2026 alone saw $3.46 billion in remittances, up 15 percent from $3.0 billion in January 2025. On a month-on-month basis, inflows were slightly down 4 percent from December’s $3.59 billion, reflecting normal seasonal trends.

Saudi Arabia remained the top contributor in January with $740 million, followed by the UAE at $694 million. The United Kingdom contributed $572 million, Europe $480 million, and the United States $295 million.