The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) crossed the 141,000 barrier on Friday on the back of a new trade deal with the United States and securing a lower tariff rate.
The PSX regained its bullish momentum after dipping by as many as 433 points in the morning. The benchmark KSE-100 index rose by 483.07 points (0.35 per cent) to reach 139,873.49 points at 12pm, from the previous close of 139,390.42 points.
The index rose by 1,644.56 points, or up by 1.18pc, to close at 141,034.98.
Having witnessed heavy selling pressure on Tuesday due to corporate earnings and political noise, the PSX had bounced back above the 139,000-mark yesterday, driven by the trade agreement with the US.
Late on Wednesday night, a Pakistani delegation led by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb in Washington, DC, finalised a trade agreement with the US, expected to lower tariffs, although no figure was announced. US President Donald Trump had also said Washington would help Islamabad develop “massive oil deposits”.
In its statement issued today, the finance ministry said the government was “pleased to announce the successful conclusion of tariff-related discussions” with the US.
“As per the outcome of these talks, a tariff of 19pc will be applicable for Pakistani exports to the US market,” it said.
The statement noted that the decision reflected a “balanced and forward-looking approach by the US authorities, keeping Pakistan competitive relative to other South and Southeast Asian countries”.
“In particular, this tariff level is expected to support Pakistan’s export potential, especially in key sectors such as textiles, which remain the backbone of the country’s export economy,” the ministry highlighted.