KARACHI: Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) recovered in the latter half of Friday’s session as investor interest in Mari Petroleum (MARI) strengthened following the company’s announcement of a copper-gold discovery in Balochistan, helping the market close in positive territory after volatile trading.
The KSE-100 Index gained 500.11 points, or 0.28 percent, to close at 177,873.88 points against 177,373.76 points in the previous session. During the day, the benchmark touched an intraday high of 179,284.34 points and a low of 176,865.05 points, moving within a range of 2,419.29 points.
Business Recorder’s benchmark indices also recorded gains. The BRIndex100 closed at 19,497.82 points, gaining 2.07 points, or 0.01 percent, on a total volume of 726.143 million shares. The BRIndex30 advanced by 367.40 points, or 0.53 percent, to close at 69,100.85 points, with total volume standing at 285.543 million shares.
Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Mari Minerals, MARI announced a new porphyry copper-gold discovery at the East Siah Diq (ESD-1) target in Chagai, Balochistan. The announcement provided fresh impetus to the market’s recovery. MARI, LUCK, PPL, PSEL and FATIMA emerged as the leading positive contributors, collectively adding approximately 722 points to the benchmark index.
Ready-market activity recorded a modest decline in both share volume and traded value. Total turnover stood at 1.043 billion shares, compared with 1.070 billion shares, in the previous session. This represented a decrease of 27.670 million shares, or 2.59 percent.
Total traded value contracted by Rs635.101 million, or 2.01 percent, to Rs31.001 billion from Rs31.636 billion in the preceding session. In contrast, total market capitalisation expanded by Rs111.984 billion to Rs19.336 trillion from Rs19.224 trillion previously.
Market breadth remained positive, with 284 companies advancing, 184 declining and 29 remaining unchanged out of 497 active issues.
WorldCall Telecom led ready-market turnover with 303.196 million shares. The stock finished the day at Rs1.38 against the previous close of Rs1.25. Kohinoor Spinning followed with 59.505 million shares, settled at Rs5.90 compared with Rs5.56 previously. LSE Financial Services saw 46.791 million shares changing hands. It closed at Rs2.64 against Rs2.36 in the preceding session.
Among ready-market price gainers, PIA Holding Company LimitedB recorded the largest increase, rising by Rs298.00 to close at Rs14,342.00. Unilever Pakistan Foods Limited followed, gaining Rs157.93 to settle at Rs26,457.91.
On the losing side, Bhanero Textile Mills Limited recorded the largest decline, shedding Rs76.42 to finish at Rs1,207.41. Ghandhara Industries Limited followed, falling by Rs25.13 to close at Rs1,262.05.
Sectoral performance remained mixed. The BR Automobile Assembler Index declined by 40.60 points, or 0.18 percent, to close at 23,076.78 points, with turnover of 1.828 million shares. The BR Cement Index gained 59.02 points, or 0.46 percent, to settle at 12,757.98 points on a volume of 31.287 million shares.
The BR Commercial Banks Index shed 154.76 points, or 0.25 percent, to close at 61,986.94 points, with turnover of 22.480 million shares. The BR Power Generation and Distribution Index declined by 95.52 points, or 0.36 percent, to finish at 26,689.99 points on a volume of 28.663 million shares.
The BR Oil and Gas Index advanced by 297.08 points, or 1.92 percent, to close at 15,733.50 points, with turnover of 39.878 million shares. The BR Technology and Communication Index lost 8.06 points, or 0.26 percent, to settle at 3,132.29 points, recording a volume of 354.455 million shares.
Analysts expected market sentiment to remain cautiously optimistic, with participants weighing corporate milestones and domestic liquidity inflows against evolving macroeconomic factors and geopolitical developments.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026