PSX surges past 172,000 as KSE-100 jumps nearly 4,000 points on midterm and Iran-talk hopes
The benchmark KSE-100 index closed at 172,013.48 on 4 November, up 3,994.62 points or 2.38 per cent, after crossing 170,000 for the first time in early trading.
The Pakistan Stock Exchange staged a powerful rally on Wednesday, with the benchmark KSE-100 index surging 3,994.62 points, or 2.38 per cent, to close at 172,013.48, crossing the 170,000 mark for the first time.
The index had opened strongly, gaining 1,707.48 points to reach 169,726.34 by 10:04am, and went on to touch an intraday high of 172,286.99, after trading as low as 168,355.26 during the session, according to market reports and the exchange’s own closing figures.
The previous session had also ended higher, with the index gaining 1,454.80 points to close at 168,018.87 on Tuesday, making Wednesday’s move the third consecutive session of gains and one of the strongest single-day advances in recent trading history.
Trading was heavy. The ready market recorded volume of 841.615 million shares, up from 517.345 million shares in the previous session, while the main board’s regular market saw 416,834 trades, reflecting broad participation rather than a narrow move in a handful of stocks.
Market reports attributed the surge to a combination of global cues. Investors reacted positively to the results of the United States midterm elections, in which Democrats swept Congress, and to hopes that tensions in the Middle East might ease, with optimism about potential progress in talks involving the United States and Iran.
Falling international oil prices also helped sentiment. Dawn reported that West Texas Intermediate crude fell below 95 dollars a barrel from a previous high of 98 dollars, while Brent declined to 102.50 dollars from 107.34 dollars, easing one of the pressures that had weighed on importers and on inflation expectations.
Buying was reported across major sectors, including banking, cement, automobiles, fertilisers, oil and gas, and pharmaceuticals, as institutional investors resumed buying and renewed confidence spread through the market.
Analysts were careful, however, to note what the rally was pricing in. The gains were driven in large part by expectations — about the political outcome in Washington and about diplomatic talks that were still unresolved when trading ended — rather than by a concluded agreement, and the direction of the next session will depend on decisions that had not yet been taken.
Figures checked on the morning of 5 November 2026 (Pakistan time). The exchange has notified market participants that it will stay closed on Monday 9 November for Iqbal Day, so traders will watch Thursday’s session for signs of whether Wednesday’s momentum survives contact with fresh headlines from Washington and Tehran.
This post is market news information only, not financial advice.
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