News

C/A surplus hits 9-year high

Pakistan’s current account balance made history by hitting a nine-year high surplus of $619 million in March 2024. This reduced the cumulative current account deficit to $508 million in the first nine months of the fiscal year 2023-24. The country has maintained a surplus in the current account for the second consecutive month in March and for the third month in the fiscal year, enhancing the n

KSE-100 index breaches 71,000, closes at record high

Pakistan Stock Exchange’s benchmark KSE-100 index closed at a record high of 71,465 points, up 0.8 per cent, after breaching the key 71,000 level on Monday. The KSE-100 index gained 631.86, or 0.89 per cent, to stand at 71,541.76 points at 11:38am from the previous close of 70,909.90. The index closed at 71,433.46 points, up by 523.56 points or 0.74pc, from the previous close. The index has

Foreign direct investment jumps 51pc

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) jumped by 51.7 per cent to $258 million in March compared to $170m in the same month last year. Higher FDI inflows amid prevailing economic and political uncertainties, particularly after the general elections, would help the new government improve the country’s image abroad through economic reforms. However, the State Bank of Pakistan data released on Monday

IMF ‘very receptive’ in terms of agreeing to consider larger, longer programme: finance minister

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has stated that Pakistan is on track to secure a new loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), adding that the money lender had been “very receptive in terms of agreeing to consider a larger, longer programme”. He made the remarks in an interview with The National published on Monday. The finance minister and his team were in Washington last week to

Mari finds oil in Sindh

Mari Petroleum Company Ltd (MPCL) announced on Monday that it had discovered a new hydrocarbon resource in Daharki, Sindh. The state-owned company said in a statement that the well produced 1,040 barrels of oil and 2.5 million standard cubic feet per day of associated gas during the Shawal-1 exploratory well test. Shawal-1 well was spud-in on Jan 27 and successfully drilled 1,136 metres into