News

Bears at PSX lose steam midway as shares make marginal losses

Bears continued their stampede on Tuesday on the trading floor as shares at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) declined by more than 200 points. The benchmark KSE-100 index declined 768.80 points, or 0.66 per cent, to stand at 115,486.32 points at 11:04am from the previous close of 116,255.12. Finally, the index closed at 116,052.68 points, down by 202.44 points or 0.17pc from the last close.

Banks advance record Rs1.9tr to private sector

The private sector borrowed a record Rs1.9 trillion from banks during the first half of FY25, registering a surge of 265 per cent from the same period last fiscal year. The latest data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Monday indicated that banks have been extending advances to the private sector despite existing risks posed by sluggish economic growth and political uncertainty.

Economic Coordi­nation Committee bans ozone-harming materials

The Economic Coordi­nation Committee (ECC) of the cabinet decided on Monday to immediately ban ozone-depleting insulation and foaming materials — polyol blended with hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) — due to climate concerns. The committee also approved supplementary grants totalling Rs10 billion. The meeting of the ECC, presided over by Finance Minister Muhammad Aura­ng­zeb, also repeated i

PM boasts of stability after UAE agrees to $2bn rollover

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif revealed on Tuesday that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has decided to roll over a $2 billion debt due this month, providing critical financial relief to Pakistan. In his televised opening rem­arks at a federal cabinet meeting that he chaired, the prime minister apprised the members of his “positive and constructive” meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Za

Land lease policy for special economic zones approved

The Board of Investment (BoI) has approved the Land Lease Policy for establishing special economic zones (SEZs) and an action plan to streamline these zones. The BoI’s Approval Committee met on Tuesday with Investment and Privatisation Minister Abdul Aleem Khan in the chair. It was also informed about completing a survey of 35 industrial zones nationwide. The survey dealt with identifying pr