News

Asian stocks meander ahead of tech earnings, BOJ awaits

Asian stocks held near record ​highs and the dollar was muted on Tuesday as investors weighed the geopolitical maelstrom in the Middle East and braced for megacap earnings and ‌a slate of central bank meetings, with the Bank of Japan due later in the day. While the US was reviewing Tehran’s latest proposal to resolve the war in the Middle East, a US official said President Donald Trump was unha

Soneri Bank posts Rs1.339bn PAT in Q126

The Board of Directors of Soneri Bank Limited, in their 216th meeting held in Karachi on Monday, approved the Bank’s financial statements of the first quarter ended 31 March 2026. The Bank’s stable performance across all functional areas underscores its operational robustness. This was achieved despite the dual challenges of a declining interest rate environment and inflationary trends, alongsi

Bank AL Habib declares 45pc final cash dividend

The Annual General Meeting of Bank AL Habib Limited was held at the Bank’s premises located at 128-C, Old Bahawalpur Road, Multan on March 30, 2026. The shareholders approved the Annual Accounts for the year ended December 31, 2025, and a 45 percent Final Cash Dividend. This is in addition to 105 percent Interim Cash Dividends paid earlier, thus, making a total of 150 percent i.e., Rs 15.00 per

BOP delivers 155pc profit growth in Q1 2026

The Bank of Punjab (BOP), one of Pakistan’s leading public sector commercial banks on Monday announced exceptional financial results for Q1 2026, reflecting strong growth momentum, sound business performance, and an expanding role in Pakistan’s banking sector. The Board of Directors reviewed and approved the unaudited financial statements for the period ended March 31, 2026. Exceptional Growth

Policy rate hiked 1pc on ME conflict

In line with market expectations, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has raised the policy rate by 100 basis points to 11.50 percent, to address risks to the macroeconomic outlook stemming from the prolonged conflict in the Middle East. The MPC has raised benchmark interest rate for the first time in nearly three years, delivering a larger-than-expected hike