The equity market rose on Friday as investors bought the dip pointing to US–Iran de-escalation and a dovish tilt in rate expectations, lifting risk appetite early in the session.

The Pakistan Stock Exchange’s benchmark KSE-100 Index climbed to an intraday high of 184,645.65, gaining 3,189.32 points, 1.76%, from the previous close of 181,456.33, and reached a low of 182,559.69, up 1,103.36 points, or 0.61%.

“The market witnessed a sharp recovery after the latest news flows suggest the de-escalation between the US and Iran,” said Huzaifa Riaz, Director, Mayari Securities (Pvt) Limited.

“Additionally, sentiment around the next monetary policy remains dovish as the latest auction suggests a 50 bps cut, which could further improve a risk-on sentiment,” he added.

Ahsan Mehanti, Managing Director and CEO of Arif Habib Commodities, echoed the sentiments, saying: “Bullish activity witnessed in early session at PSX amid reports of US-Iran de-escalation,” adding: “Speculations over further SBP policy easing amid falling government bond yields played a catalyst role in bullish activity at PSX.”

A Topline Research survey ahead of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Monetary Policy Committee meeting on January 26, 2026, showed 80% of participants expect a rate cut. 

Of those, 56.4% see 50 bps, 15.4% expect 100 bps, 5% look for 25 bps, and 3% foresee 75 bps, while 20% expect no change. In the previous decision on December 15, 2025, the SBP cut 50 bps.

SBP reserves rose $16 million to $16.072 billion in the week ended January 9, taking total liquid reserves to $21.248 billion (commercial banks $5.177 billion, up $40 million). 

The SBP noted ongoing foreign exchange purchases amid a steadier current account supported by remittances; from June 2024 to September 2025, net market purchases totalled $9.7 billion. 

The central bank projects the FY26 current account deficit at 0–1% of GDP and sees reserves at $17.8 billion by June 2026 with planned official inflows.

On Thursday, the KSE-100 Index fell 1,113.48 points (0.61%) to 181,456.34 from 182,569.82, after trading between 183,717.54 and 180,783.63.

Ashton Kutcher is making it clear that admiration and respect still define how he views his ex-wife Demi Moore, especially when it comes to her recent work. 

While promoting his upcoming series The Beauty, the actor openly praised Moore’s performance in The Substance, calling it one of her strongest yet.

Speaking to Entertainment Tonight in an interview published January 14, Kutcher acknowledged comparisons between his new project and Moore’s film, but quickly shifted the focus to her achievement. 

“Demi’s performance in The Substance, obviously, she got extraordinary accolades,” he said. “I’m so proud of her.” 

He then summed up his feelings simply and directly, adding, “She killed it.”

Kutcher, 47, and Moore were married from 2005 until their divorce was finalised in 2013. Since their split, he has largely avoided discussing their relationship publicly, making his recent comments stand out. 

Rather than revisiting the past in detail, his words reflected genuine appreciation for Moore’s success and her Oscar-nominated performance.

In earlier interviews, Kutcher has briefly touched on the emotional aftermath of their breakup. 

During a 2018 appearance on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast, he shared how isolated he felt after the divorce and how he sought clarity by spending a week alone in the mountains of Big Sky, Montana. 

He explained that he disconnected completely, surviving on only water and tea, without food, devices, or conversation.

That period of solitude led him to reflect deeply on his personal life. Kutcher revealed that he wrote letters to people from past relationships where unresolved feelings remained. 

He described the process as a way of letting go of regret and emotional weight he had carried for years.

Moore, now 63, has also spoken candidly about the end of their marriage.

While promoting her 2019 memoir Inside Out, she told Good Morning America, “I lost me. If I were to look back, I would say I blinded myself and I lost myself.” 

Her words highlighted how deeply the relationship and its ending affected her sense of identity.

Today, both actors appear to be in very different places. 

Kutcher shares children Wyatt, 11, and Dimitri, 9, with his wife of ten years, Mila Kunis, while Moore continues to reflect on her past through her work and writing. 

Kutcher’s recent comments, however, show that despite everything, he still holds genuine respect for Moore, and isn’t shy about applauding her success when it’s deserved.

Pamela Anderson is opening up about an uncomfortable moment she experienced at the Golden Globes.

The actress revealed that seeing Seth Rogen at the event brought back lingering feelings tied to the controversial Pam & Tommy series made without her consent.

Speaking on SiriusXM’s Radio Andy, the Golden Globe nominee explained that although it appeared she left the awards show early, her exit was intentional and emotionally driven. 

“At the Golden Globes, for instance, I didn’t leave early. I left after my award, and I went right to bed,” she said, clarifying that being in close proximity to Rogen made her uneasy.

The tension stems from Hulu’s 2022 limited series Pam & Tommy, which dramatised the theft and distribution of Anderson’s private 1995 tape with ex-husband Tommy Lee. 

Rogen served as an executive producer on the project and also portrayed Rand Gauthier, the man who stole and sold the tape. 

Anderson emphasised that she was never consulted about the show, a fact that continues to bother her years later.

“Seth Rogen, he did that [miniseries] on me without talking to me, Pam & Tommy,” she said. “How can someone make a TV series out of difficult times in your life? And I’m a living, breathing human being over here, hello.”

Anderson noted that Rogen was seated nearby during the ceremony. 

“He was in the pit at the Golden Globes, so we were close,” she explained. “I just felt like, ‘I’m not chopped liver over here.’ I felt a little bit weird about it.”

While Anderson said she has been staying busy professionally, working on five films over the past year, she admitted that moments like this can still hit unexpectedly. 

She shared that she hopes Rogen may one day acknowledge her feelings. “Eventually, hopefully he will reach out to me and apologise. Not that that matters.”

Reflecting more broadly, Anderson expressed frustration over how deeply personal experiences are often turned into entertainment. 

She said the “darkest, deepest secrets or your tragedies in life shouldn’t be fair game for a TV series,” adding that the situation “pissed me off a little bit.”

Rogen, meanwhile, had a successful night at the Golden Globes, where his Apple TV+ series The Studio won Best Television Series — Musical or Comedy, along with Best Actor in the same category. 

Despite the accolades, Anderson’s comments highlight that for her, the emotional impact of Pam & Tommy is far from over.