News

Stocks fall for third day on profit-taking

The stock market was on a losing streak for the third consecutive day as investors indulged in profit-taking on pre-budget uncertainty. Ahsan Mehanti of Arif Habib Corporation said the market extended overnight losses on pre-budget uncertainty and reports of falling fertiliser and cement sales. Urea sales plunged 49 per cent month-on-month to 328,000 tonnes in April, hitting a three-year low

Our sluggish disinflation

WHAT goes up must come down. This truth also applies to economic trends, which exhibit cycles of ups and downs. However, the pace of going up and coming down depends not on gravity, but economic policies. We are now seeing the effects of higher interest rates, which are slowly taking the steam out of inflation in the consumer price index (CPI). Year-on-year inflation has come down from its peak of

Nepra approves Rs2.83 per unit hike in FCA for May power bills

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Wednesday authorised ex-Wapda distribution companies (XWDiscos) to levy a Rs2.83 per unit charge in consumers’ electricity bills for May as part of fuel cost adjustment (FCA) charges. Nepra said the FCA pertains to the month of March. According to a notification issued by Nepra, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, the new ad

Shell posts Rs314m profit

Shell Pakistan Ltd (SPL) posted a profit after tax (PAT) of Rs314 million during first quarter of 2024 against a loss of Rs4.762 billion in the same period last year. The mobility business grew its network with five newly commissioned sites and refreshed 13 sites. The business added 13 non-fuel retail facilities across the network. ARL’s key unit Attock Refinery Ltd (ARL) said that it has

CDWP clears three projects worth Rs126bn

The Central Development Wor­k­ing Party (CDWP) recom­mended on Wednesday three projects worth Rs126 billion to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) for approval. The CDWP meeting was chaired by Deputy Chair­man of the Planning Com­mission Mohammad Jeha­nzeb Khan, said a press release. Two projects related to transport and communications sector were presented in th