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’Considerable progress’ made in Pakistan talks, says IMF

Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have made “considerable progress” in discussions on the third review of the country’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme, IMF mission chief Iva Petrova said on Wednesday, adding that talks will continue in the coming days to further assess the impact of recent global developments on the economy. In a statement, she said that the IMF mission

Shares skid, oil surges again as Iran attacks Gulf shipping

Shares fell in ​Asia on Thursday as oil prices jumped on reports that more ships had been struck in the Strait of Hormuz and ‌in Iraqi waters, fuelling inflation and pushing borrowing costs higher worldwide. US crude rose 7.5% to $93.80 a barrel, extending a rise of more than 4% overnight. Brent crude futures jumped 7.7% to $99.03 a barrel. That was despite plans from the International Energ

‘Not just an OMC’: how PSO carving its path amid energy transition

Designed by Yasmeen Lari, one of Pakistan’s foremost architects, the PSO House in Karachi glimmers under the blistering sun. Inside the 10-storey glass-clad structure, hundreds of its employees could be seen working to carve out a new path for the oil marketing company (OMC) as it seeks to navigate a rapidly evolving energy transition. Established in 1976, following the merger of Premier Oil Co

Finance minister consults banks amid evolving regional situation

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb on Wednesday held a virtual meeting with the Pakistan Banks’ Association (PBA) and senior leadership of major banks to review the evolving economic and financial situation in light of regional developments. The meeting, attended by PBA Chairman Zafar Masud and presidents of leading banks, focused on ensuring financial stability

Gold steady as dip‑buying offsets firm dollar, US inflation woes

Gold prices held steady on Thursday, paring ‌an earlier drop of nearly 1%, while a firmer dollar and fading hopes for near-term interest rate cuts due to higher oil prices continued to weigh. Spot gold was down 0.1% at $5,172.86 per ​ounce as of 0221 GMT. U.S. gold futures for April delivery was ​unchanged at $5,178. “Given a lack of a short-term exit for the Middle East ⁠conflict right now,