Asian stocks drifted on the last trading day of a year that has seen investors brush off much of the tariff-related uncertainty and embrace AI chip stocks, while the dollar’s dismal year has left the euro and sterling standing tall. Precious metals have grabbed much of the spotlight toward the end of the year, with silver’s astonishing rally taking its yearly gains to more than 160% although th
The Cabinet Committee on Privatization (CCoP) on Tuesday approved the Rs 135 billion bid of the Arif Habib-led consortium for acquiring 75 percent shares of PIA and recommended its approval by the Cabinet. The CCoP met here with Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar in the chair. The Secretary, Ministry of Privatisation, provided a detailed briefing on the future
Oil prices were little changed on Wednesday but are set to fall more than 15% for 2025, as supply outpaced demand in a year marked by wars, higher tariffs and OPEC+ output and sanctions on Russia, Iran and Venezuela. Brent crude futures, down nearly 18% - the most substantial annual percentage decline since 2020 - are on track for a third straight year of losses, their longest-ever losing strea
The Pakistani rupee strengthened against the US dollar, appreciating 0.08% during the opening minutes of trading in the inter-bank market on Wednesday. At 10:30am, the local currency was hovering at 279.93, a gain of Re0.23 against the greenback.On Tuesday, the local unit closed at 280.16. The SBP purchased a hefty $1 billion worth of forex from the interbank market in September 2025, signal
Government critics, including members of the opposition and economists, questioned the credibility of official economic growth figures after the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported a 3.71% gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the first quarter of FY2025-26, largely driven by a significant rise in industrial output. Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ah