PSX today: KSE-100 regains 1,282 points by noon after the Fed hike

If you searched PSX today, here is where things stand: by 12:00 pm on Thursday, 17 September 2026, the KSE-100 index was at 169,303.71, up 1,281.91 points (0.76%) from Wednesday's close, according to Business Recorder's midday market report.

That recovers almost all of Wednesday's fall. On 16 September the benchmark lost 1,370.52 points (0.81%) to close at 168,021.80 on a volume of 127.6 million shares, as investors waited for the US Federal Reserve and watched oil prices.

What moved the market

The Fed raised US interest rates overnight, its first increase since 2023. Our explainer on what the Fed hike means for the rupee, gold and your loan covers the details. Local buyers treated the decision as the end of the uncertainty rather than a new shock, and money came back into the heavyweights.

Buying was spread across:

• Banks: MCB, Meezan Bank (MEBL), National Bank (NBP) and UBL
• Oil and gas exploration: OGDC, PPL, Mari Energies (MARI) and POL
• Cement: Lucky Cement (LUCK)
• Refining: Attock Refinery (ARL)
• Automobile assemblers, oil marketing companies and power generation also traded in the green.

The bigger picture for investors

Even after today's gain, the index is about 11.4% below its 52-week high of 191,032.73, and the PSX data portal shows it down 3.47% for the calendar year as of Wednesday's close. Over twelve months it is still up 7.58%.

Oil remains the main risk. Brent crude was at $108.02 a barrel on Wednesday, and Pakistan imports most of its fuel, so a rise in oil feeds straight into the import bill, the rupee and petrol prices at home. Petrol is already at Rs 391.22 a litre (see the petrol price page).

The rupee

The rupee closed Wednesday at 277.27 to the US dollar in the interbank market, a gain of three paisa, according to State Bank data reported by Business Recorder. A stronger dollar abroad after the Fed decision has not yet pushed the rupee lower. You can check the latest open market and interbank figures on our USD to PKR data page or convert any amount with the currency converter.

What this means for you

• Mutual fund and stock investors: a one-day rebound does not change the trend. The market is still below where it started the year, so avoid chasing a single green session.
• Savers: the State Bank's policy rate is 11.5%, and banks price deposits off KIBOR (see the KIBOR page). A tighter Fed makes an early cut in Pakistan less likely.
• Anyone sending or receiving dollars: the rupee has been steady near 277, so there is no reason to rush a conversion today.

The session closes at 3:30 pm. We track the closing figure on the KSE-100 data page.