KSE-100 surges over 11,000 points as Trump signals possible end to Middle East conflict

A day after witnessing intense selling pressure, buying interest returned at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) as US President Donald Trump predicted the war in the Middle East could end soon. The benchmark KSE-100 Index gained nearly 8% during the opening hours of trading on Tuesday. At 9:22am, the benchmark index was hovering at 155,783.89, up 9,303.75 points, or 6.35%. Following the increase, a Market Halt was triggered, and all equity-based markets were suspended. “All TRE Certificate Holders are hereby informed that due to a 5% increase in the KSE-30 index from the previous trading day close of the same, a Market Halt has been triggered as per PSX Regulations and all equity-based markets have been suspended accordingly,” read the notice. The market resumed trading at 10:22am. However, the index maintained its upward trajectory. Around 10:40am, the KSE-100 was hovering at 157,808.67, up by 11,328.53 points or 7.73%. Buying momentum was observed in key sectors, including automobile assemblers, cement, commercial banks, oil and gas exploration companies, OMCs and power generation. Index-heavy stocks, including ARL, HUBCO, MARI, OGDC, POL, PPL, HBL, NBP and UBL, traded in the green.