The Pakistan Stock Exchange closed Thursday’s trading session on a positive note as the benchmark KSE-100 Index settled at 187,688.16 points, posting a gain of 654.90 points or 0.35%. The market extended its upward momentum through selective buying in key sectors, despite mixed sentiment in heavyweight banking stocks.

Trading activity remained active throughout the session, with the index fluctuating within a range of 1,281.21 points. The benchmark touched an intraday high of 188,106.82 points, while the day’s low was recorded at 186,825.61 points, reflecting cautious optimism among investors.

Total traded volume in the KSE-100 Index stood at 462.47 million shares. Market breadth was marginally positive, as 55 index constituents closed higher, 44 ended in the red, and one stock remained unchanged, indicating balanced participation across sectors.

Gains were primarily driven by strong performance in selected energy, fertilizer, and industrial stocks. Engro Holdings emerged as the largest contributor to index gains, followed by Hub Power Company, Engro Fertilizers, Attock Refinery, and Adamjee Insurance, reflecting renewed interest in cyclical and energy-related names.

On the downside, pressure from selected banking and fertilizer stocks limited the overall upside. United Bank, Habib Bank, Bank of Punjab, Fauji Fertilizer, and Mari Petroleum were among the key laggards, dragging the index lower during intraday trading.

From a sectoral perspective, the Investment Banks & Securities, Cement, Power Generation & Distribution, Refinery, and Fertilizer sectors provided notable support to the benchmark. However, losses in Commercial Banks, Technology & Communication, Chemical, Tobacco, and Miscellaneous sectors capped broader market gains.

In the wider market, the All-Share Index closed at 112,627.69 points, registering a net increase of 272.05 points or 0.24%. Overall market activity softened compared to the previous session, with total traded value declining to Rs49.16 billion, while cumulative volume stood at 1.07 billion shares.

A total of 486 companies participated in trading, out of which 238 closed higher, 201 closed lower, and 47 remained unchanged, highlighting selective accumulation amid a cautious trading environment.

Despite short-term volatility, the broader trend remains positive. The KSE-100 Index has now gained 62,061 points (49.40%) during the ongoing fiscal year, while posting an increase of 13,634 points (7.83%) in the calendar year so far, underscoring sustained long-term investor confidence in the market.