PSX enjoys 3rd largest single-day rally as shares climb over 3,900 points

Bulls decided to take control of the trade floor at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Monday as shares gained more than 3,900 points on investors’ expectations of the key interest rate reaching single digits in the near future. The benchmark KSE-100 index climbed 3,678.20, or 3.30 per cent, to stand at 115,029.37 from the previous close of 111,351.17 at 3:09pm. Finally, the index closed at 115,258.99, up by 3,907.82 or 3.51pc, from the last close, marking the third largest single-day point-wise rally. Awais Ashraf, director of research at AKD Securities, attributed today’s movement to be driven due to the year’s end “as institutions aim to close their portfolios at higher rates”. Additionally, he highlighted that a “successful rollover” of approximately Rs55 billion in futures was contributing to this trend. He explained that at the end of each month — during the last week — people “holding positions in futures either have to buy stocks from the ready market to clear their position or have to buy a new future contract of the same stock”.