Pakistan's trade deficit widened by one-fourth to nearly $4 billion in July due to $6.9 billion in imports, highlighting external sector vulnerabilities and the impact of the policy to open the economy without first creating an enabling environment for fair competition. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), compared to a $3.2 billion trade deficit in July last year, the gap betw
Positive momentum continued at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), with the benchmark KSE-100 Index gaining over 1,300 points during the opening minutes of trading on Thursday. At 9:40am, the benchmark index was hovering at 181,335.30, up by 1,320.37 points or 0.73%. Buying was observed in key sectors, including automobile assemblers, cement, chemical, commercial banks, fertiliser, oil and ga
Gold advanced for a fourth straight session on Thursday and touched its highest level in seven weeks, helped by weaker oil prices, a softer dollar and lower Treasury yields, on growing hopes over the Strait of Hormuz reopening. Spot gold was up 1% at $4,285.84 per ounce by 0132 GMT, the highest level since June 18. On Wednesday, bullion posted its biggest daily gain since February. US gold
Oil prices slipped on Thursday as investors assessed whether progress in Iran-Oman talks could pave the way for a U.S.-Iran peace deal to end the five-month war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude futures fell 37 cents, or 0.5%, to $79.08 a barrel by 0024 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate futures declined 53 cents, or 0.7%, to $74.69 a barrel. Brent settled up slightly on Wednesday,
Buying rally continued at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) amid comments by Qatari and US officials that raised hopes for a diplomatic resolution to the Iran war, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index gaining over 2,300 points during intraday trading on Wednesday. At 12:09pm, the benchmark index was hovering at 179,386.57, up by 2,303.35 points or 1.30%. Positive momentum was observed in key sec