News

Stocks falter on high inflation, pre-poll concerns

After staging the second-best single-day rally the other day, the stock market on Tuesday faltered on profit-taking triggered by a spike in headline inflation and growing uncertainty about upcoming general elections. However, the benchmark KSE 100 index closed above the 64,000 level. Beating the government’s projection of 21pc with a big margin, the first-half inflation for FY24 surged to 28.79

Economic turnaround moment?

AFTER a commendable long period of uninterrupted decline in poverty rates, Pakistan’s economy is now facing one of its worst crises. Poor policy choices, combined with a series of shocks — Covid 19, the 2022 catastrophic floods and adverse global conditions — caused growth to slow, poverty to increase, and brought the country to the brink of debt default. Moreover, human development outcomes re

Oil prices drop

Oil prices shed value during the first session of 2024, on the back of interest rate jitters and as concerns eased that tensions in the Red Sea could disrupt supplies. Brent crude was down 45 cents, or 0.6 per cent, at $76.59 a barrel at 13:15 p.m. ET (18:15 GMT). US West Texas Intermediate crude was down 60 cents, or 0.8pc, at $71.05. Prices rose briefly in early trade after attacks on vess

Divestment of Heavy Electrical Complex complete

The Privatisation Commi­ssion on Tuesday completed the divestment process of Heavy Electrical Complex (HEC) by handing over the share certificates to the buyer IMS Engineering (Pvt) Ltd. In a final settlement of the Rs1.4 billion transaction, the buyer has not only made the full payment but also taken over additional liabilities of Rs752 million payable to the Bank of Khyber. The government

Competition Commission of Pakistan okays merger in shipping services

The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has approved a merger in the deep-sea container liner shipping services market. Through the approved merger, PIL Holdings Pte Ltd acquires minor shareholding in PIL Pte Ltd, both entities are registered in Singapore. The PIL Pte has an indirect subsidiary in Pakistan called Pacific Delta Shipping (PDSPL). PDSPL serves as the designated local agent