Karachi, Pakistan – Web Desk: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) staged a powerful rebound on Thursday, reversing steep early losses and closing sharply higher in a move that signalled renewed investor confidence.
The benchmark KSE-100 Index surged 4,266.79 points to settle at 168,893.08, marking a gain of 2.59%. Earlier in the session, the index had fallen to 162,953 points before strong buying activity drove a broad-based recovery across key sectors.
Market analysts attributed the rally to improved sentiment linked to ongoing economic discussions, as a review mission from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) arrived in Pakistan for a 15-day assessment under the country’s loan programme.
The IMF delegation will remain in Pakistan until March 11, holding talks in two phases — first in Karachi and then in Islamabad. The mission will evaluate economic performance for the first half of the current fiscal year, from July to December, and discuss preliminary contours of the upcoming federal budget.
According to officials at the Ministry of Finance, most IMF performance targets have been met, except for tax revenue collection. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) reported a shortfall of Rs329 billion in the first six months and Rs372 billion over seven months of the fiscal year.
Authorities are expected to brief the IMF team on the revenue gap and outline corrective measures. The government is also considering seeking a downward revision of the annual tax collection target.
The sharp rebound in the PSX reflects cautious optimism among investors, with market participants closely watching the outcome of IMF negotiations and future fiscal policy signals.
