News

Investors take cover in Asia ahead of US election

Investors are selling yen and taking shelter in cash, India, pockets of China’s markets and Singapore dollars ahead of a US election that could shake out global money and trade flows. Asia’s financial markets stand on the front line of what could be a wild ride when votes are tallied and in the months ahead since the region is an export powerhouse and shares and currencies are sensitive to chan

PSX sees higher listings, 7 companies raise Rs8bn

Contrary to last year’s gloomy conditions, the booming equity market attracted many initial public offerings (IPOs) and companies raised over Rs8 billion in calendar 2024. Market experts said such a favourable situation emerged after 2021, making it attractive for investors while the Pakistan Stock Exchange set records daily, encouraging companies to tap into the equity market. A total of se

Unlocking true prosperity

Adam Smith, in his 1776 masterpiece, ‘An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations’, observed that for a nation to prosper, little else is required than to provide individuals with economic freedom. If economic freedom is provided, the rest of the requisites will be brought upon by the natural course of things. On the other hand, for decades, democracy has also been accepted a

Forging a new economic order

International politics has always been a ruthless and dangerous business, and it is likely to stay that way, according to Chicago University’s US scholar John J. Mearsheimer. In the introduction of an updated edition of his book, ‘The Tragedy of Great Power Politics’, he writes: “Since no state is likely to achieve global hegemony, the world is condemned to a perpetual great power competition.

Grid-based battery energy storage solutions

The rise in demand for electric vehicles (EVs) worldwide, driven by governments’ rebates to curb carbon emissions, has spurred advancements in battery technology. Significant research funding has gone into the EV battery to achieve the objectives of a high number of charge cycles, distance, and low weight and volume, with Chinese companies, CATL and BYD are leading the way. These developments a