Asia-Pacific | Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani banks led the Asia-Pacific region in equity performance during the third quarter (July-September) of 2025, according to an analysis by S&P Global Market Intelligence. The Bank of Punjab topped the list of publicly traded banks in the region with a market capitalisation greater than $100 million, delivering a total return of 176.4 per cent during the quarter. The Lahore-based bank, with a market cap of approximately $320m as of September 30, outperformed other regional lenders. The Bank of Khyber, based in Peshawar, ranked second with a total return of 108.2pc. Other Pakistani banks among the top 15 performers included National Bank of Pakistan, JS Bank, Askari Bank, and Habib Bank, bringing the total number of Pakistani banks in the top rankings to six. Six banks feature in the region’s top performers list Pakistan’s benchmark KSE-100 index also saw notable gains, advancing 11pc in July and 11.4pc in September. Investor sentiment was bolstered by the resolution of a military conflict with...