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Indonesia for tapping true trade potential

Indonesia Charge d’affaires Rahmat Hindiarta Kusuma has stressed that time is ripe for collaboration with Pakistan to push bilateral trade to levels that can match true potential. Speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Tuesday, the envoy underlined the importance of forging partnerships as Indonesia was the largest economy in Southeast Asia with stable economic growth

US, China and UAE top export destinations

The United States remained the top export destination for Pakistani products during financial year 2023-24, followed by China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Total exports to the US reached $5.43 billion during July-June 2023-24 against exports of $5.93 billion in 2022-23, showing a decline of 8.4%, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). It was followed by China, where Pakistan e

Govt asked to prioritise growth despite IMF loan

Businessmen have cautioned the government that the signing of a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) should not be used as an excuse to retard economic growth of the country. “We understand that the country cannot survive without another IMF programme. At the same time, the government should prioritise economic growth, provide employment and reduce inflation,” remark

Trade and industry decry costly electricity

Trade and industry people have asked the government to seriously look into the matter of high electricity tariffs for all categories of consumers, particularly export and general industries, and rationalise the same to bring down the cost of production. SITE Association of Industry President Muhammad Kamran Arbi said there is much unrest amongst the business community due to high electricity bi

Most analysts expect policy rate cut amid low inflation

The financial market is abuzz with speculation as the State Bank prepares to announce its monetary policy by the end of this month, with researchers, analysts and bankers widely anticipating a rate cut, though opinions vary on the extent of the reduction. Given June’s inflation rate of 12.6 per cent, significantly lower than the prevailing interest rate of 20.5pc, the market expects a substanti