As Pakistani exporters continue cashing in on the situation that emerged after the Indian ban on onion exports, local consumers are taking the hit of an improvement in foreign exchange earnings by paying up to Rs240 per kg for the commodity in the domestic markets. When India imposed a ban on Dec 8, 2023 till March 2024, local rates suddenly crawled up to Rs160-180 from Rs120-140 on intense buy
The equities market turned in a robust performance in the first outgoing week of the new calendar year thanks to positive developments on the economic front. Arif Habib Ltd said the stock market displayed notable resilience, experiencing a significant surge of 2,211 points on Monday, recording the second-highest absolute point increase and marking the highest surge on the first working day of a
ALL eyes are on the general elections, now just a month away. But what will happen after the election will be far more consequential to the country’s future. Formidable challenges await the next government. The governing ability of the election winner will be constrained by the complex dynamics of a volatile domestic environment. This is characterised by persisting polarisation, the most seriou
In the development decade of the 1960s, the issue of trade and not aid cropped up because much of the industrialisation was debt-driven and business leaders started talking about increasing domestic savings, investment, production and exports. But over time, the trade gap mostly continued to widen. Tight monetary policy to depress domestic demand and ease external sector pressures resulted in d
Pakistan’s enduring relationship with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) since 1958 has woven a tapestry of financial challenges, strategic manoeuvres, and global assistance, shaping the nation’s economic trajectory over the decades. Recent data reveals a nuanced picture of Pakistan’s ongoing IMF engagement, holding substantial implications for economic stability. Ranking fifth in outstandin