{
  "id": 1425837,
  "title": "PSX: Buying interest drives KSE-100 above 181,000 level",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/psx-buying-interest-drives-kse-100-above-181-000-level",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-17T04:53:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Recorder",
    "slug": "business-recorder",
    "url": "https://www.brecorder.com/news/40435160/psx-buying-interest-drives-kse-100-above-181000-level"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) saw a surge in buying interest on Monday, propelling the KSE-100 Index above the 181,000 mark within the first 40 minutes of trading. By 9:40am, the benchmark index was trading at 181,066.59, marking a gain of 961.98 points or 0.53% for the day. This upward momentum was fueled by increased purchasing activity in key sectors such as automobile assembly, cement production, banking, fertilizers, oil and gas exploration, oil marketing companies, power generation, and refineries. Among the index's heaviest components, shares of MARI, OGDC, PPL, POL, HUBCO, HBL, MCB, MEBL, and UBL all enjoyed positive trading as they moved in the positive zone. In the preceding week, the PSX had experienced a decline, falling 1,325.41 points or 0.7% week-on-week, settling at 180,104.61 points at the end of trading. This downturn was attributed to uncertainties surrounding the extension of the US-Iran ceasefire, concerns over oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea, and the potential impact on investor sentiment. Despite robust domestic fiscal and external sector indicators, such apprehensions led to a 0.7% drop in the KSE-100 Index week-on-week. Globally, Asian markets displayed a lackluster performance on Monday, with investors closely monitoring oil prices, which had experienced significant gains the previous week due to ongoing tensions in the Iran conflict, contributing to inflationary pressures. The conflict's stalemate persisted, with Iran urging the US to concede defeat, while US President Donald Trump called for Americans to embrace higher gasoline prices amid the ongoing strife. Tragically, Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon resulted in at least 11 fatalities, according to the Lebanese health ministry, marking one of the deadliest incidents since the country signed a US-mediated peace agreement with neighboring Israel. On the commodities front, Brent crude prices remained stable at $88.50 a barrel, after surging 6% last week, whereas US crude slipped by 0.3% to $82.12 a barrel, having gained 5.4% in the previous week. As of the morning update, MSCI's Asia-Pacific index, excluding Japan, remained stagnant, while Japan's Nikkei index edged up by 0.4%.",
  "summary": "Positive sentiment was observed at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), driving the benchmark KSE-100 Index above the 181,000 level during the opening minutes of trading on Monday. At 9:40am, the benchmark index was hovering at 181,066.59, up by 961.98 points or 0.53%. Buying interest was observed in key sectors, including automobile assemblers, cement, commercial banks, fertiliser, oil and gas…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}