
LAHORE The Pakistan Stock Exchange emerged as Asia's best performing equity market and the fifth best in the world in 2016 as it boasted a total return of 45.7%. The market peaked at 50,192.4 points on Jan. 26, and fell back slightly in February and March, but analysts expect more upside after Pakistan graduates to the MSCI Emerging Markets Index.

The stellar performance of the benchmark KSE 100 Index in the last year has been largely attributed to index compiler MSCI's decision last June to move the country to its EM Index from its Frontier Markets Index. The index stood at 36,979.96 at the time of MSCI's announcement.