Pakistan Economy: MSCI Review August 25 – By AHCML Research
Aug 8 2025
Al Habib Capital Markets
- Equity market saw measured yet meaningful adjustments in the MSCI August 2025 review, with Faysal Bank (FABL) entering the Frontier Markets Standard Index, while Indus Dyeing (IDYM) and Jubilee General Insurance (JGICL) joined the Small Cap Index, changes effective August 26 that may influence investment flows. Conversely, Habib Sugar (HABSM) and Octopus Digital (OCTOPUS) were removed from the Small Cap Index, potentially affecting sentiment toward these stocks.
- FABL's Standard Index inclusion is particularly significant, likely triggering passive foreign inflows and historically leading to improved liquidity and short-term price gains, validating the bank's growing market stature. The additions of IDYM and JGICL highlight emerging potential in textiles and insurance sectors. Meanwhile, the exclusion of HABSM and OCTOPUS suggests deteriorating liquidity or fundamentals that may reduce foreign interest.
- The broader MSCI review showed substantial global reshuffling. The PSX impact may be modest in liquidity terms but carries psychological importance, reinforcing confidence in included stocks while warranting caution on excluded names. As MSCI remains cautious on peers like Bangladesh, Pakistan's relative stability stands out, though investors should balance optimism with fundamental analysis.