
PSX surges to new heights, breaks 140k barrier
The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) witnessed a significant surge on Friday, with the KSE-100 index closing at an all-time high of 141,035, a gain of 1,645 points, or 1.18%. The rally was led by energy sector stocks, which saw a strong buying interest in the afternoon session.
The potential collaboration between the US and Pakistan in oil exploration, along with news regarding payment of circular debt, provided a much-needed boost to energy sector stocks. Blue-chip share such as OGDC, PPL, PSO and Hubco were among the top gainers, with OGDC surging 9.7%, PPL rising 7.1%, PSO gaining 6.7% and Hubco increasing 4.71%.
The energy sector contributed 1,152 points to the day's rally. The overall market activity remained robust, with 610 million shares changing hands and a traded value of Rs51 billion. WorldCall Telecom led the volumes chart with over 55 million shares traded.
Also Read: Rs9.7m looted in armed heist outside bank
On a weekly basis, the KSE-100 index recorded its sixth consecutive weekly gain, adding 1,828 points, or 1.31%. The index opened at 139,760, touched a high of 141,161 and a low of 137,659 before settling at 141,035.
The PSX's strong rebound around the 138k level indicates a positive outlook as support now stands at 140k for the KSE-100 index. However, if this level is breached, the index could drift towards 138,000, where compelling valuations and expectations of monetary easing may revive investor interest and spark fresh buying momentum.
According to Ali Najib, Deputy Head of Trading at Arif Habib Ltd, 'The market's strong performance is a testament to the growing investor confidence in the Pakistani economy. We expect the KSE-100 index to continue its upward trend, driven by positive economic indicators and potential foreign investment.'

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Top 10 cement companies at Pakistan Stock Exchange as of August 2025
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In May 2025, the company announced that it had successfully fired the kiln for its new clinker production line at Najmat Al-Samawah (NAS), a joint venture company located in Samawah, Iraq. The milestone was seen a major step forward in the company's expansion plans. In February, Lucky Cement informed the exchange that its Board of Directors (BoD) had proposed the sub-division of equity shares subject to shareholder approval. Last year, the company completed and commissioned the 28.8 megawatts (MW) captive wind power project at its Karachi plant. The market capitalisation of Lucky Cement at the PSX stands at $1,900 million. Bestway Cement Limited (BWCL) ($1,100 million) Bestway Cement Limited (PSX: BWCL) is a public limited company incorporated in Pakistan in 1993. The company is principally engaged in production and sale of cement. Bestway Cement is a subsidiary of Bestway International Holdings Limited (BIHL), which holds 56.43% shares in the company. 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Cherat Cement Company Limited (CHCC) ($207 million) Cherat Cement Company Limited (PSX: CHCC) was incorporated in Pakistan as a public limited company in 1981. The company is engaged in the manufacturing, marketing and sale of cement. In April 2025, the company announced an expansion in its renewable portfolio with the commissioning of a 6.065MW solar power plant at its facility in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Later in June, Cherat Cement along Shirazi Investments announced their intention to jointly acquire a majority stake of 84.06% in Attock Cement Pakistan Limited. The market capitalisation of Cherat Cement at the PSX stands at $207 million. Pioneer Cement Limited (PIOC) ($180 million) Pioneer Cement Limited (PSX: PIOC) was set up as a public limited company in 1986. With its plants located in Punjab, the company has three production lines where it manufactures and sells cement. It began its production operation with a capacity of 2000 tons per day. 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The market capitalisation of Flying Cement at the PSX stands at $120 million. Market capitalisation for each company was calculated on Monday, August 4, 2025. For the purpose of this calculation, the exchange rate was used at Rs283 to 1 US dollar. The above article was contributed by Rehan Ayub, News Editor at Business Recorder (Digital), with assistance from Hussain Afzal (Graphics) and Junaid Sanawar (Data).


Business Recorder
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Business Recorder
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