At 98,164.24 points, the benchmark KSE-100 Index is just 1,800 points away from the much-anticipated 100,000 level and is approaching a historic milestone.

Favorable macroeconomic indicators and high investor confidence have propelled the index’s bullish momentum as of 9:47 a.m. today.

The KSE-100 had a significant increase of 469.84 points, or 0.48%, on Friday, closing at 97,798.23 points. Market optimism was indicated by the index’s quick spike to an intraday high of 99,623.03 points.

Analysts have increased their estimates, predicting that by the end of 2025, the KSE-100 might rise to 120,000. Continued improvements in macroeconomic conditions, such as declining bond yields, are anticipated to be the main drivers of this spike since they are bringing more liquidity to the equities market.

Following the drop in bond yields, mutual funds have made about $132 million in investments in Pakistani stocks since January 2024. This influx of funds is considered a favorable indicator of investor sentiment.

The market has also risen as a result of the State Bank of Pakistan’s decision to reduce interest rates by a total of 700 basis points, from 22% in May 2024 to 15% now.

The All-Share Index, which measures the overall market, also showed robust gains. With a net increase of 280.51 points, or 0.44%, it was at 62,376.87 points. Expectations of additional growth in the equity market are being bolstered by this encouraging trend.

The Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) cautioned the government about the dire repercussions of internet shutdowns and a potential ban on virtual private networks (VPNs) just before Saturday, when internet users across Pakistan encountered major issues connecting to WhatsApp.

Downdetector, an outage tracking tool, said that 207 complaints peaked in a single hour, mostly on Saturday at 10 PM. 67% of those impacted said they had trouble sending messages, especially media files, while 16% said they had trouble receiving them.

While there were sporadic issues in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab saw the most severe disruptions in the Meta-owned messaging service.

Although the precise cause of the disruption was not disclosed, users’ complaints about the sudden WhatsApp outage mostly concerned the inability to transfer media files, prompting internet service providers to come under fire.

Since there was no official statement, some users conjectured that the disruptions were related to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) widely reported demonstration in Islamabad on Sunday.

WhatsApp outages are now commonplace in the nation, especially during important occasions like PTI demonstrations.

These disruptions have always been ascribed by officials to technical issues or damage to underwater cables.

PTI-affiliated accounts launched a campaign on X (previously Twitter) on Saturday, pushing Elon Musk, the owner of X and the CEO of SpaceX, to launch Starlink in Pakistan.

Masoud Pezeshkian, the president of Iran, has expressed his sorrow for the recent terrorist assault in Pakistan that claimed dozens of lives and denounced the crime.

The Iranian president said that all types of terrorism must be denounced in a statement. In addition to the relatives of the attack victims, he sent his sympathies to the people and government of Pakistan.

“I will stand by its friendly and brotherly country, Pakistan, and will seriously pursue the fight against terrorism to enhance security and stability in the region,” he added.