News

Automobile sales plunge 41pc in July-February

KARACHI: Sales of locally assembled cars, light commercial vehicles, vans and jeeps fell by eight per cent to 9,709 units in February from 10,536 in January. However, sales were higher by 57pc compared to 6,186 units sold in February 2023. The low number of working days during February, coupled with the general election holidays, were the main reasons for a drop in sales. However, the sal

Market divided over possibility of rate cut on 18th

KRARCHI: The Ramazan-driven price spiral could take up the food basket inflation to its peak in March which may not allow the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to take any significant cut in the interest rate, said market sources. The induction of Finance Minister Muhammad Aurang­zeb, who was the CEO of Habib Bank Ltd and a regular participant in policy meetings on finance during the caretaker gover

Call for deepening trade ties with US

In a pivotal testimony before the US International Trade Commission (ITC), Ambassador Masood Khan highlighted the vitality of Pakistan’s apparel sector and called for enhanced trade relations with the United States. The US remained Pakistan’s largest goods export market in 2022 at $6 billion, a 13.5 per cent increase from the previous year. One of Pakistan’s largest trading partners, the US als

No relief for consumers as retailers defy govt

KARACHI: The year 2024 did not prove to be different from the previous years as retailers continue to defy official price lists, keeping the rates beyond the affordable level of many cash-starved consumers who are already grappling with the inflated power and gas bills. Even a ban on onion and banana exports for one month till April 15 failed to transform into a price relief for the end users.

Pakistan eyes ‘larger, longer’ bailout package

ISLAMABAD: The government declared its intention on Tuesday to negotiate a “longer and larger” ec­o­­nomic bailout package with the International Mo­n­­e­tary Fund (IMF), targeting to sustain the nasc­ent macroeconomic stability. In his first formal media interaction after having a series of briefings, including on external account needs and fiscal situation, Finance Minister Auran­gzeb Khan, a