News

Short-lived respite from inflation reversed in December

The rate of consumer inflation shot back up to 24.5pc in Dec — after a temporary decline to 23.8pc in Nov — affecting the country’s rural population the most, as prices escalated by almost 29pc. The average six-month (July-December 2022) inflation increased to 25.02pc when compared to the same period in the previous year. It was more pronounced at about 28pc for rural areas — home to more than

Chicken meat may cross beef price as feed crisis sees no end

As the price of chicken meat touched Rs650 per kilogramme on Tuesday, traders and poultry farmers warned that relative affordability of chicken may become a thing of the past, and soon it could become as pricey as beef in light of the feed crisis. They added the price could cross Rs800 per kg, almost equivalent to the red meat, as the live broiler chicken was being sold up to Rs370/kg in Islama

Petroleum sales drop 19pc in 1HFY23

Oil consumption witnessed a year-on-year drop of 11 per cent in December and 19pc in 1HFY23 as demand for diesel, petrol and furnace oil remained depressed amid higher prices and plunging auto sales due to an overall economic slowdown. Oil sales dipped to 1.34 million tonnes in December 2022 from 1.507m tonnes in the same month last year. This is the lowest monthly sales number since the first

Dubai regulator upholds $135.6m fine on Abraaj founder

Dubai’s financial regulator said on Tuesday it upheld a $135.6 million fine on collapsed private equity firm Abraaj Group’s founder and former CEO Arif Naqvi “for his serious failings” in respect of the company. Dubai-based Abraaj was the largest buyout fund in the Middle East and North Africa until it collapsed in 2018 after investors raised concerns about the management of its $1 billion heal

Production cuts continue in industrial sector

Another textile maker joined on Tuesday the steadily growing list of industrial units that’ve either scaled back or suspended operations citing unfavourable economic conditions. Crescent Fibres Ltd is curtailing production by up to 50 per cent owing to “widespread demand destruction,” it told shareholders on Tuesday. Earlier, Suraj Textile Mills Ltd announced it was bringing down its product