Recently, Pakistan received approval for a $700 million installment from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This boosted confidence among investors, leading to a significant increase in the Pakistan Stock Exchange’s KSE-100 index, reaching a new high of 57,706 points.
Investor confidence was also influenced by the Pakistani rupee strengthening against the US dollar in interbank trading. The positive trend in the stock market is attributed to two main factors: the announcement of the date for general elections and the approval of the IMF-Pakistan standby agreement.
The IMF, led by Nathan Porter, visited Islamabad to discuss the first review of Pakistan’s economic program supported by the IMF Stand-By Arrangement. This program focuses on key priorities like fiscal consolidation and reducing public debt to strengthen the country’s economic sustainability and promote balanced growth.
If the IMF’s Executive Board approves the staff-level agreement, approximately $700 million will be disbursed, bringing the total funds under the program to nearly $1.9 billion. This financial support aims to help Pakistan address economic challenges and pursue its economic goals.