While slamming another 100 basis points hike in the benchmark interest rate to a record 21 per cent, the business community on Tuesday questioned the government’s approach of fighting inflation by jacking up lending rates saying the strategy has failed to produce desired results but slowed down economic activities. “The entire business community has refused to accept the 100 basis points hike i
The World Bank on Tuesday projected about four million people falling below the lower middle-income poverty line amid economic growth plummeting to just 0.4 per cent against a budgeted target of 5pc. Meanwhile, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has forecast Pakistan’s economic growth plunging to 0.6pc from 6pc last year owing to the prevailing political crisis, flood-oriented economic losses, fo
Share prices rose initially on Monday, but pessimism soon overpowered the bulls and drove down the representative index of the Pakistan Stock Exchange. Arif Habib Ltd said a lack of investors’ involvement pushed the index into the red territory soon after the opening bell rang. Trading remained subdued for the rest of the session with prices swinging in both directions before closing on the low
Oil prices soared Monday after top producers unveiled a shock output cut of more than a million barrels, while equities mostly rose after data showed US and European inflation eased further last month. However, the decision by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries OPEC+, the cartel, which has other top non-OPEC oil-exporting nations, fanned concerns about a fresh spike in prices
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar will represent Pakistan at the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund’s spring meetings in Washington next week, as it will be another opportunity for Islamabad to campaign for the renewal of its IMF package. “Due to financial constraints, the finance minister will come with a small entourage,” a diplomatic source told Dawn. “But the finance secretary and the