News

Oil edges up but Brent on course for longest stretch of annual losses in 2025

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

Intra-day update: rupee records gain against US dollar

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

Economy ‘grows’ 3.71%, but critics cry foul

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

Silver shines in 2025 global market spotlight as softs, oil lag

Precious metals were the standout performers among commodities this year, with silver outperforming most major equity indexes and currencies, while gold hit record highs on economic and geopolitical risks. Industrial metals also made strong gains in 2025, with copper hitting all-time highs, though cocoa, sugar and crude oil were among the biggest losers. Looking ahead, precious metals have r

Pakistan’s Supernet goes global, sets up Dubai as regional hub

Supernet, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Telecard, has announced its rebrand to SupernetGlobal, alongside a strategy to expand selectively into high-growth international digital markets across the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia. “The move comes as ICT spending across the Middle East and Africa exceeds $230–250 billion annually, driven by large-scale government digitalisation, cybersecurity