Karachi: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a significant uptick on Thursday as the KSE100 index soared to a new record high of 168,990.06 points, marking a daily increase of 500.43 points, or 0.30%. This surge reflects a robust yearly growth, with the index up by 46.79% for the calendar year 2025.

The KSE30 index also experienced notable gains, climbing 237.65 points to reach 52,261.21, a 0.46% increase. The PSX market capitalization showed marginal growth, with a day-over-day change of 0.03%, bringing the total market cap to Rs 19,660.88 billion, equivalent to US$ 69.90 billion.

Among the top performers, Adamjee Insurance Company Limited (AICL) led the gainers with a 10.00% increase, closing at Rs 79.29. National Refinery Limited (NRL) and Cnergyico Pk Limited (CNERGY) also posted strong performances, seeing their share prices rise by 10.00% and 6.46%, respectively.

In contrast, Meezan Bank Limited (MEBL) was the top loser of the day, with its stock price falling by 5.18% to Rs 459.30. Allied Bank Limited (ABL) and Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTC) also faced declines, dropping by 4.39% and 2.96%, respectively.

The market's trading volume was substantial, with a total of 1,573.35 million shares exchanged, amounting to a value of Rs 78.67 billion or US$ 279.70 million. Cnergyico was the volume leader, trading 211.44 million shares worth Rs 1,926.80 million.

Regionally, the PSX's performance was complemented by mixed results in Asian markets. While China's SSEA and Korea's KOSPI remained stable, India’s BSESN and Indonesia’s JKSE saw gains of 0.3% and 0.6%, respectively. The Philippines' PSI led with a 1.1% rise, while Malaysia's KLSE experienced a slight decline of 0.2%.

The PSX's positive performance is indicative of investor confidence and broader economic optimism, contributing to a buoyant market environment.