The Pakistan Stock Exchange started the new year with positive momentum as trading opened higher on the first working day. Investors showed confidence early in the session, pushing the market into the green.
At the opening of business on Thursday, the benchmark KSE-100 index gained 383 points and reached 174,438 points. Market participants linked the early rise to renewed investor interest and hopes for stability in key economic indicators at the start of the year.
Alongside the stock market, the currency market also showed mild improvement. According to the State Bank of Pakistan, the US dollar weakened slightly in the interbank market, falling by three paisa to close at Rs280.12. Currency dealers noted that the dollar has been gradually easing for the past 70 days, often declining by one to two paisa. In the open market, the dollar’s selling rate was recorded at Rs281.15.
Meanwhile, precious metal prices continued their downward trend in both local and international markets. The price of 24-carat gold dropped by Rs2,500 per tola, bringing it down to Rs456,962. Similarly, the price of 10 grams of gold fell by Rs 2,143 to Rs 391,771. Silver prices also followed a declining pattern.
Market analysts believe that movements in stocks, currency, and gold reflect cautious optimism at the start of the year, with investors closely watching economic signals and global trends in the coming days.
