News

PSX slips in October on economic, geopolitical uncertainty

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) reversed course in October, with the KSE-100 index falling 2.33 per cent for the month, marking its first negative close since February. Market analysts attributed the decline primarily to profit-taking by insurance companies and mutual funds after an extended rally. Weak corporate earnings in the September quarter further weighed on investor sentiment, signall

All that glitters is an investment opportunity

Traders and experts in Pakistan see little chance of stability in the gold market — which has witnessed sharp volatility amid an overall rising price trend — anytime soon. They attribute the price swings to a rare mix of global and local factors; fluctuations in international gold prices, escalating armed conflicts that threaten to widen war zones, US tariff pressures under President Trump, dollar

Bank profits rise despite weak private credit demand

Banks continued to post strong profits in the third quarter of calendar year 2025, remaining the only sector with steady, low-risk earnings driven largely by government borrowing. According to a report by Topline Securities issued on Friday, listed banks recorded a combined profit of Rs170bn in 3Q2025, reflecting an increase of 8pc year-on-year (YoY) and 2pc quarter-on-quarter (QoQ). The ban

Gold’s surge erodes dollar’s shine

The relentless surge in global gold prices has weakened confidence in the US dollar, long considered the world’s safest reserve currency, with analysts warning that the greenback’s dominance in the international financial system is facing its strongest challenge in decades. Over the past year, gold prices have climbed sharply from $2,700 per ounce in October 2024 to $3,997 per ounce on Oct 31 a

Tax net expands with 892,000 new filers

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has linked the filing of 892,419 new tax returns for the tax year 2025 to rising public confidence in the government’s reform agenda. The premier’s remarks followed the Federal Board of Revenue’s announcement that the tax department received 5.912 million tax returns for tax year 2025, up from 5.025m returns in tax year 2024, marking a 17.65 per cent increase. The