Asian share markets were in a more sober mood on Thursday as cracks quickly began to appear in the fragile Gulf ceasefire, nudging oil prices back up and reminding investors the inflationary fallout will last for a long time yet. There was scant sign that the Strait of Hormuz was open in any meaningful way, with Iran flexing its control over the vital oil artery and demanding tolls for safe p
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has drafted a comprehensive licencing framework for Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), introducing a structured regulatory regime along with an initial licence fee of USD 140,000, envisaging to expand competition and innovation in the telecom sector. According to the draft licence, MVNOs will be authorized to provide mobile communication ser
Inflows of workers’ remittances posted a robust month-on-month growth of around 17 percent in March 2026, as overseas Pakistanis increased transfers ahead of Eidul Fitr. According to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), overseas Pakistanis remitted USD 3.83 billion in March 2026, compared to USD 3.28 billion in February 2026, reflecting an increase of USD 550 million. On a cumulative basis, rem
The dollar caught its breath in early Thursday trade after broad losses, as investors anxiously assessed whether a fragile two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran would hold. The dollar index, , which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies including the yen and the euro, rose 0.03% to 99.09, with the euro down 0.07% at $1.1654. The yen also gave back some of t
Oil prices rose on Thursday on investors’ concerns supply from the key Middle East producing region may not fully resume amid doubts the two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran will hold and as the crucial Strait of Hormuz remains restricted. Brent crude futures were up $2.6, or 2.74%, at $97.35 a barrel at 0048 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose $3.02, or 3.2%, to $9