The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) began the new year on a strong footing, as the benchmark KSE-100 Index surged over 1900 points in early trade on Thursday.
By 11:44am, the index stood at 176,008.87, up 1954.55 points, or 1.12 percent.
The rally was driven by buying interest across key sectors, including commercial banks, oil and gas exploration firms, and oil marketing companies (OMCs).
The upbeat start followed a weaker close on Wednesday, when the market retreated due to profit-taking on the final trading day of the year.
The KSE-100 Index shed 418.45 points to close at 174,054.32.
Meanwhile, the Finance Division projected inflation to remain moderate in December, estimating it between 5.5 and 6.5 percent, largely due to a favourable base effect.
In its Monthly Economic Update and Outlook for December 2025, released on Wednesday, the Division also reported a sharp 25.3 percent decline in foreign direct investment (FDI) during the first five months (July–November) of fiscal year 2026 compared to the same period last year.
![File/ Local residents at the Swat River, which is overflowing due to pre-monsoon heavy rains in the area on the outskirts of Mingora, the main town of Pakistan's Swat Valley [Sherin Zada/AP]](https://mmnews.tv/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Flooding-in-Swat-river.jpg)
