The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) extended its winning momentum on Thursday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index advancing nearly 1,762 points as broad-based buying continued across major sectors, including commercial banks, oil & gas exploration companies, cement, fertilizer, and power stocks.

Investor confidence remained strong after international oil prices declined on reports of progress in diplomatic discussions involving Iran and Oman, raising hopes of a broader U.S.-Iran peace agreement and the potential reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The easing concerns over global energy supply disruptions improved risk appetite and supported equity markets.

The benchmark KSE-100 Index settled at 181,776.59, posting a gain of 1,761.66 points, or 0.98%, from the previous close. The index remained in positive territory throughout the session, reaching an intraday high of 182,007.03 (+1,992.10 points) and an intraday low of 180,626.92 (+611.99 points).

Trading activity strengthened further, with 345.78 million shares traded among KSE-100 constituents. Market breadth remained positive, with 75 companies closing higher while 25 stocks ended the session in negative territory.

Among the top-performing stocks, Nishat Power Limited (NPL) surged 9.75%, followed by Gadoon Textile Mills Limited (GADT) (+6.50%), Maple Leaf Cement Factory Limited (MLCF) (+5.26%), Pak Elektron Limited (PAEL) (+4.92%), and Nishat Mills Limited (NML) (+4.81%).

On the downside, Mehmood Textile Mills Limited (MEHT) declined 2.41%, while Habib General Finance Limited (HGFA) fell 1.88%. Other notable laggards included Faysal Bank Limited (FABL) (-1.75%), IBL Finance Limited (IBFL) (-1.69%), and Bannu Woollen Mills Limited (BNWM) (-1.35%).

In terms of index-point contribution, United Bank Limited (UBL) provided the largest boost to the benchmark by contributing 203.33 points. Other major contributors included Mari Energies Limited (MARI) (+165.93 points), Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited (FFC) (+146.27 points), Lucky Cement Limited (LUCK) (+103.04 points), and Bank AL Habib Limited (BAHL) (+98.01 points).

Meanwhile, Meezan Bank Limited (MEBL) exerted the biggest negative impact on the benchmark, dragging the index down by 42.94 points. Other notable drags included Faysal Bank Limited (FABL) (-33.47 points), Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGP) (-11.88 points), Pakistan State Oil Company Limited (PSO) (-8.02 points), and Pakistan Stock Exchange Limited (PSX) (-5.93 points).

Sector-wise, Commercial Banks remained the strongest contributor, adding 500.49 points to the benchmark. Additional support came from Oil & Gas Exploration Companies (+264.49 points), Cement (+251.19 points), Fertilizer (+224.08 points), and Power Generation & Distribution (+124.47 points).

On the other hand, Oil & Gas Marketing Companies weighed on the benchmark by 19.74 points. Minor pressure also came from Miscellaneous (-4.86 points), Synthetic & Rayon (-2.61 points), Close-End Mutual Funds (-2.52 points), and Modarabas (-0.63 points).

In the broader market, the PSX All-Share Index closed at 109,308.49, gaining 936.37 points, or 0.86%.

Overall market participation improved, with 793.35 million shares traded compared with 740.56 million shares in the previous session. The total traded value increased by Rs4.41 billion to Rs40.31 billion, reflecting stronger investor participation.

A total of 450,423 trades were executed across 494 listed companies, with 282 stocks advancing, 180 declining, and 32 remaining unchanged, highlighting continued positive market breadth.

Among the most actively traded stocks, Bank of Punjab (BOP) led the volume chart with 66.02 million shares, followed by Unity Foods Limited (UNITY) (62.51 million shares), Cnergyico PK Limited (CNERGY) (56.22 million shares), TSBL (32.75 million shares), and Maple Leaf Cement Factory Limited (MLCF) (30.41 million shares).

With Thursday's advance, the KSE-100 Index has now gained 1,475 points (0.82%) during the current fiscal year. On a calendar-year basis, the benchmark has climbed 7,722 points (4.44%), reflecting sustained investor optimism and improving market momentum.