News

Costly energy diminishes consumers’ purchasing power, warns Nepra

Amid ongoing engagement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for further electricity tariff reforms involving increases for residential and reductions for industrial consumers, the country’s power sector regulator, Nepra, has warned the government that its compulsions to pass on full costs coupled with historically highest inflationary spree in the country was diminishing the purchasing capa

Stocks gain nearly 800 points on circular debt settlement reports

Bulls dominated the trading floor of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Tuesday as shares gained nearly 800 points due to activity reported in the energy sector. According to the PSX website, the KSE-100 index gained 659.15 points to stand at 63,662.06 at 1:42pm, up 1.05 per cent from the previous close of 63,002.91. Continuing the upward momentum, the index eventually closed at 63,799.01,

Sri Lanka to ease limits on rupee conversion

Sri Lanka has approved gradually lifting some limits on converting rupees to foreign exchange for outward remittances and the new directions will be presented to parliament for approval, cabinet spokesperson Bandula Gunawardane said on Tuesday. The island nation’s central bank had suspended permission to remit funds for overseas investments by Sri Lankan residents from mid-2020 except under cer

S&P hints at upgrading Pakistan’s credit rating

S&P Global Ratings has hinted at upgrading Pakistan’s credit rating to ‘B’ following the new political government that comes into power post-Thursday (February 8) elections in the country, but the change in the rating would largely depend on the economic roadmap of the new rulers. To upgrade the rating, the global rating agency will closely watch the new government’s moves towards securing the

Clothing exports to China rise by 3% in 2023

The amount of clothing that Pakistan exported to China, both for men and women, significantly increased in the past year. Based on available data, the export of men’s and women’s clothing from Pakistan to China increased by 3% between January to December of 2023, said Ghulam Qadir, Commercial Counsellor at the Pakistani Embassy in Beijing. The strong demand for Pakistani textiles in the Chinese