Amid ongoing economic optimism, the stock market maintained a robust outlook, extending a surprise record-breaking spree in the last days of Ramazan by scaling a new peak in the outgoing short week. Arif Habib Ltd (AHL) said the market continued its positive momentum throughout the four-day trading week, hitting an all-time high above the 68,000 level. The market sentiment was fuelled by a sha
Some 40 per cent of Pakistanis continue to live below the poverty line with little in sight to hope for better days. The country’s economic growth of 2.5pc recorded in July-September 2023 faltered to just 1pc in the next quarter. Overall growth in the current fiscal year (July 2023-June 2024) may hardly hit the 2pc mark amid persisting political instability, deteriorating security environment, ris
The energy value chain cannot be fixed without reforming electricity distribution companies. The inability to fix the chain and make electricity more affordable will continue to keep Pakistan stuck in a low-growth trap while accelerating de-industrialisation. The electricity distribution companies (Discos) are plagued with multiple problems, from governance and pricing to operations. For any re
In the case of the perennially broke federal government, the 7th National Finance Commission (NFC) Award has recently become the main suspect. The case against it: the Award short-changed the centre, the provinces squandered their windfall, and the cash-strapped Pakistani government can no longer indulge this bad deal gone worse. In the global context, this case holds water. An Organisation for
Pakistan’s merchandise exports to the United States fell 10.14 per cent to $3.63 billion in the first eight months of the current fiscal year from $4.04bn over the corresponding period last year. The fall is mainly attributed to a dip in exports of textiles and clothing to North America, according to data compiled by the State Bank of Pakistan. Contrary to this, Pakistan’s exports to Chin