The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) continued its positive momentum on Thursday, closing at a new all-time high. This surge was fueled by strong investor confidence in improving economic conditions and positive corporate earnings.
The benchmark KSE-100 Index settled at 145,647.13 points, marking a gain of 558.64 points, or 0.39%. During the day, the index reached an intraday high of 146,081.02 points. Ahfaz Mustafa, CEO of Ismail Iqbal Securities, noted that “continued optimism for improving macros and improving corporate results are driving sentiment.”
Government Borrowing and Fixed Income Market
In the fixed income market, the government raised Rs370 billion through an auction of Treasury bills (T-bills) on Wednesday, falling short of its Rs400 billion target. Yields on the T-bills increased, signaling investor caution after the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) decided to keep interest rates unchanged at 11%. The government now plans to borrow Rs6.175 trillion from the domestic banking system between August and October to manage its financing needs.
MCB Bank Announces Interim Dividend
On the corporate front, MCB Bank Limited announced a second interim cash dividend of Rs9 per share (90%), bringing the total payout for the first half of 2025 to 180%. The bank reported a profit after tax of Rs27.31 billion for the six months ending June 30.
