£190m case verdict triggers PSX rally as investors cheer end of ‘uncertainty’

Bulls on Friday staged a massive comeback at the capital market, driven by the much-anticipated verdict in the £190 million case against former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi. 

The accountability court's ruling brought an end to weeks of uncertainty, boosting market confidence.

The Pakistan Stock Exchange's (PSX) benchmark KSE-100 Shares Index surged 1,435.34 points, or 1.26%, to close at 115,272.08.

“The market traded higher today after the decision by the courts. The verdict ends the prevalent uncertainty that had created an overhang for the last two weeks,” said Ismail Iqbal Securities CEO Ahfaz Mustafa.

He added: “The current account surplus also helped boost morale, giving investors confidence that the government is still staunchly following the IMF plan.”

In a long-anticipated decision, Accountability Court Judge Nasir Javed Rana convicted former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, sentencing them to 14 and seven years in prison, respectively.

The court also imposed hefty fines on the couple. This verdict, while politically significant, provided market participants with a sense of closure, removing the element of political uncertainty.

Samiullah Tariq, Head of Research at Pak-Kuwait Investment Company, said the better-than-expected balance of payment numbers supported market sentiment.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) announced the UAE’s rollover of $2 billion in deposits, providing much-needed fiscal relief.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed the development earlier this week following discussions with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves increased by $30 million to $11.725 billion for the week ending January 10, bolstered by a current account surplus of $944 million during the first five months of FY25.

This marks a significant turnaround from the $1.67 billion deficit during the same period last year. Workers’ remittances also surged by 33%, reaching $17.8 billion in the first half of FY25, compared to $13.4 billion during the same period last year.

The government’s ongoing efforts to stabilise the economy include plans to issue yuan-denominated Panda bonds, expected to raise $200-$250 million from Chinese investors by the end of the fiscal year.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb expressed optimism about meeting the IMF’s bailout conditions and noted the positive trajectory in sovereign credit ratings.