News

Oil marketing companies warn of collapse over forced refinery quotas

Indicating a substantial cut in prices of petroleum prices by this weekend, the oil marketing companies (OMCs) have opposed the forced signing of ‘Take or Pay’ agreements with local refineries, arguing that the clause would unfairly burden them with financial risks. The dispute comes amid reports that price of petrol could decrease by Rs12 per litre and of high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs8 per lit

SBP surprises with hold on key policy rate at 12pc

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) announced on Monday that it has decided to keep the policy rate unchanged at 12 per cent, assessing the current real interest rate to be adequately positive on the forward-looking basis to sustain the ongoing macroeconomic stability. The central bank’s policy rate, after being slashed by 1,000bps from 22pc since June 2024 in six intervals, now stands at 12pc.

Govt to stop use of methyl bromide for rice fumigation

The government is immediately halting the use of methyl bromide for the fumigation of rice consignments in Pakistan, enabling the importing countries to carry out the procedure themselves in line with international standards. The decision came at a meeting held by the ministry of national food security and research on Monday to address the issue of interceptions in the export of Pakistani rice

Remittances jump 40pc in February, total $3.12bn

Remittances from overseas Pakistani workers soared by nearly 40 per cent year-on-year in February 2025, reaching $3.12 billion, according to State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) data released on Monday. Compared to January 2025, remittance inflows increased by 3.8pc, providing much-needed financial support to the economy, government reserves and liquidity for importers. For the first eight months of

Smooth IMF talks drive PSX bullish

Despite some benchmark slippages, better-than-expected smooth talks with the visiting International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission for the release of the second tranche of $1.1 billion enthused positive vibes among equity investors about the economic outlook, aiding the benchmark index maintain a bullish performance in the outgoing week. Despite early volatility, the market turned bullish on repor