Key points: tracking KSE-100 making history day-by-day and what lies ahead

KSE-100 has offered a phenomenal 60% return so far this calendar year. It began 2024 at 62,451 points

Experts say Pakistan’s economic rebound has helped stocks recover

A smooth transition from one IMF bailout to another also revived investor confidence as the previous programme faced a lot of uncertainty. The previous IMF bailout – the $3-billion Stand-By Arrangement – was finalised in June 2023. There has been no looking back for the KSE-100 since then

While not really a positive, an IMF programme gives investors confidence that Pakistan will have an economic roadmap to follow

Corporate earnings, especially the banking sector’s profits, are also a major factor in driving up stock prices at the PSX

Exchange rate stability and a much more tempered pace of inflation have also aided the KSE-100’s rise

Now, experts believe further upside will come from liquidity that would be diverted away from fixed-income asset classes to the PSX as falling interest rates will make them less attractive

Some brokerage houses see the index hitting 125k-135k levels in 2025

The central bank is due to hold its next monetary policy committee meeting on December 16. The current key policy rate stands at 15%. Some experts see another cut of around 200bps in the upcoming meeting.