A surprise 50-basis-point rate cut by the State Bank of Pakistan buoyed investor sentiment at the Pakistan Stock Exchange this week.

The KSE-100 index responded with a 1,539-point (0.9%) surge, closing at a record high of 171,404. Banking stocks led the charge, with notable gains from National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) and United Bank Limited (UBL).

In this week’s Stock Watch, presented by HBL and powered by Chase Securities, Nukta’s Shuja Qureshi and Shahbaz Ashraf are joined by Ali Najeeb, Deputy Head of Trading at Arif Habib Limited, to explore what lies ahead for the market as the year draws to a close.