The economic impact of PTI’s protest in Islamabad, coupled with administrative measures to limit participation, counter its message, disperse the crowd, and clear the venue, extends beyond the huge financial toll, estimated at Rs950 billion, on the country. The projected losses, amounting to Rs190bn per day over five days, are attributed to disruptions to transport, supply chains, and economic
Among the executive orders to be signed on day one of his incoming presidency, the maverick US President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico. The tariff would also be levied on crude oil until these countries stop the inflow of illegal “immigrants and drugs fentanyl into the US”. Canada and Mexico are the two top sources of US c
Banks’ advances jumped 16 per cent year-on-year in October while it increased by 12pc month-on-month, reflecting the banks’ efforts to increase the advance-to-deposit ratio (ADR) to avoid tax. The latest data provided by the State Bank on Monday showed that the total bank advances increased 15.8pc to Rs13.8 trillion in October compared to Rs11.9tr in the same month last year. The data furth
The US will launch on Monday its third crackdown in three years on China’s semiconductor industry, curbing exports to 140 companies including chip equipment maker Naura Technology Group, among other moves, said two people familiar with the matter. The effort to hobble Beijing’s chipmaking ambitions will also hit Chinese chip toolmakers Piotech and SiCarrier Technology with new export restrictio
Pakistan’s annual consumer price index inflation rate was 4.9 per cent in November, data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) showed on Monday. The reading reinforced months of easing inflation — which hit a historic high of 38pc last year — ahead of a meeting of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP)’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting on December 16 to review the policy rate, which stands a