News

State Bank’s reserves rise to $9.1bn

The State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) foreign exchange reserves increased by $75 million to $9.102 billion during the week ending July 26, announced the central bank on Thursday. The SBP did not mention the source of this inflow. However, the market people know the central bank regularly buys dollars from the interbank market to build its reserves. “Before this increase, the SBP’s forex holding

Exports rise 12pc in July

Pakistan’s merchandise exports rose 11.83 per cent to $2.31 billion in the first month of the new fiscal year from $2.06bn in the corresponding month last year, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Thursday. On a month-on-month basis, exports saw a decline of 9.77pc from June. In FY24, exports rose 10.54pc to $30.64bn from $27.72bn in the preceding year. E

Millions subjected to inflated bills in April-June: Nepra

An investigation by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has revealed that millions of consumers across the country were subjected to ‘inflated bills’ during the April-June period as they lost their entitlement to subsidised rates and slab benefits. A report based on information and data provided by Power Information Technology Company (PITC) — a subsidiary of the power divi

Stocks rally ahead of monetary decision

The stock market staged a robust rally ahead of Monday’s anticipated interest rate cut, helping the benchmark KSE 100 index snap its losing streak triggered by growing political noise last week. Contrary to last week’s trend, Topline Securities Ltd noted in its market report that equities initiated the week on a bullish note ahead of the State Bank of Pakistan’s Monetary Policy Committee meetin

A quest for value-added exports

During the last fiscal year that ended on June 30, Pakistan’s exports (fob value) increased to $31.1 billion whereas imports consumed $53.2bn, leaving a trade deficit of $22.1bn, according to the latest balance of payments statement. Although this volume of deficit is lower compared to the deficit of $24.8bn recorded a year earlier, the country’s precarious external finance situation requires f