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Honda, Nissan engage in historic merger talks

Honda and Nissan have started talks towards a potential merger, a historic pivot for Japan's auto industry that underlines the threat Chinese EV makers now pose to some of the world's long-dominant legacy car makers. The Japanese giants are in talks to merge by 2026, they said on Monday. The tie-up would create the world's third-largest auto group by vehicle sales after Toyota and Volkswagen. I

Businessmen advocate strategic reforms

Pakistan Business Forum (PBF) has urged Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb to outline a clear and actionable roadmap for 2025 including the strategic reforms targeted at enhancing Pakistan's business environment. The forum expressed concern that current economic policies were falling short of portraying Pakistan as a business-friendly nation and stressed the importance of boosting investor con

Pakistan, Kenya discuss trade beyond tea

Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan and the Kenyan high commissioner met on Monday to explore new horizons in trade and regional cooperation. The discussions centred on leveraging Pakistan's strategic location to serve as a gateway between Central Asia and the East African Community, with both sides expressing a strong commitment to deepening economic ties, according to a statement.

Rupee inches down, gold stable

The Pakistani rupee experienced a slight dip against the US dollar on Monday, declining by 0.05% in the inter-bank market. By the end of the day, the currency stood at Rs278.57, marking a loss of 15 paisa. Last week, the rupee also saw a modest depreciation, falling by 30 paisa, or 0.11%, in the inter-bank market. According to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the local currency closed the w

Mobile phone makers push for localisation

Mobile phone manufacturers have pleaded for implementation of a localisation policy and price reduction while controlling cellphone smuggling to promote the local industry. There are around 36 local assembling units, which are meeting 95% of demand. It suggests that the local industry has almost taken over the market with the creation of 40,000-50,000 job opportunities. Almost all big brands ar