News

Equities falter on early termination of IPP deals

The stock market ended its six-session winning streak on Thursday as investors engaged in profit-taking towards the end of the session following the government’s termination of power purchase contracts with some Independent Power Producers (IPPs). Ahsan Mehanti Arif Habib Corporation said stocks closed under pressure amid concerns for pre-mature termination of contracts with IPPs on tariff issu

Rule by consultants

IT is odd that the government has recruited former State Bank governor Reza Baqir as a consultant to work on building its Sovereign Wealth Fund. Baqir has little experience building organisations. Besides, his tenure at the State Bank has left a legion of unanswered questions. Baqir entered the State Bank amid high inflation and an abrupt change of guard at the finance ministry, when Asad Umar

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia sign MoUs valuing $2.2bn in multiple sectors

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed 27 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) worth $2.2 billion in various sectors on Thursday. Last night, a high-powered Saudi delegation led by its Minister for Investment Sheikh Khalid Bin Abdul Aziz Al Faleh arrived in Islamabad on a three-day official visit. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Al Faleh and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir witnessed th

Saudi firm to buy stake in Reko Diq in coming weeks, says kingdom’s investment minister

Saudi Minister for Investment Sheikh Khalid Bin Abdul Aziz Al Faleh on Thursday confirmed that the kingdom’s Manara Minerals was set to buy a stake in Barrick Gold’s Reko Diq gold and copper mine in the coming weeks. Barrick Gold owns a 50 per cent stake in Pakistan’s Reko Diq mine, with the remaining 50pc owned by the governments of Pakistan and the province of Balochistan. Barrick consider

Oil jumps 4pc on US storm

Oil prices jumped about 4 per cent on Thursday on a spike in US fuel use before Hurricane Milton barrelled across Florida, Middle East supply risks and signs that demand for energy could grow in the US and China. Brent futures rose $2.87, or 3.8pc, to $79.45 a barrel by 1:24 p.m. EDT (1724 GMT), while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose $2.75, or 3.8pc, to $75.99. In the US, the worl