Economic gains and tariff relief increase PSX trade.

The government’s announcement of economic gains helped the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) start Tuesday’s trading on a high note.

In the early hours of trade, the KSE-100 index instantly increased by 700 points and crossed the 117,000 barrier.

In fact, it was 117,158.

Monday, the opening day of the week, saw a bullish trend in the PSX, which gained 1,536 points to close at 116,390.

Key industries such as cement, commercial banks, oil and gas exploration firms, electricity generation, OMCs, and auto assemblers showed widespread purchasing.

As the world was gripped by increased uncertainty brought on by US President Donald Trump’s tariff announcements, volatility persisted in the PSX over the last week. Trump then announced a 90-day reprieve, which helped equities around the world rebound.

Confidence of investors boosted in Pakistan after respite in tariffs announced by the US president, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s successful visit to Belarus and surge in remittances and other positive indicators announced by State Bank of Pakistan Governor Jameel Ahmad.

CURRENT YEAR RECORD REMITTANCES

Jameel Ahmad, the governor of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), announced on Monday that the nation collected a record $28.07 billion from Pakistanis living abroad during the current fiscal year.

Addressing a ceremony at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) here, he said the total remittances in the first nine months of the financial year 2024-25 were 33 percent higher compared to the same period a year ago.

Remittances from Pakistanis living abroad increased by almost 40% year over year to $3.12 billion in February 2025, according to the governor. He said that the nation got a record $4.1 billion in March.

According to SBP data, Pakistanis living in Saudi Arabia remitted the highest $987 million during March, followed by $842 million from the UAE, $684 million from the UK and $419 million from the US.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, meantime, expressed his happiness that overseas Pakistanis’ monthly remittances surpassed $4 billion for the first time in the nation’s history, characterising it as evidence of their faith in the government’s policies.