News

Stocks manage modest gains as foreign selling eases

The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Wednesday managed modest gains, a day after losing 900 points as foreign selling eased. On Tuesday, the stock market had posted another major dec­line of 1.5 per cent due to investor concerns over political noise and security unrest in the country. It was the fourth consecutive drop on the market, with the KSE-100 index having lost nearly 3,000 points since

NEPRA mulls record Rs5.62/unit hike in electricity prices

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has deferred its decision regarding the request from power distribution companies (DISCOs) to raise the electricity price by Rs5.6194 per unit, citing fuel charges adjustment (FCA) for December 2023. Earlier, the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA), at the behest of DISCOs, submitted an application to NEPRA seeking an increase in elect

SBP allows 100% advance import payments

Pakistan’s central bank has allowed commercial banks to make up to 100% import payment in advance without acquiring prior approval, liberalising the import regime after the country’s foreign exchange reserves improved recently. The softening of trade instructions rules aims to instil confidence in foreign sellers and domestic buyers, potentially easing the hardships faced by traders on imports

Inflation to stay at 28.5% despite ‘economic stabilisation’

Two days after the central bank elevated its inflation forecast, the federal government on Wednesday significantly upwardly revised its projection, stating that inflation may remain around 28.5% in January due to food supply shocks. In its flagship monthly economic outlook report, the finance ministry anticipates inflation to be around 27.5%-28.5% in January, a 3.5% increase from the previous f

FBR misses monthly target by 1.3%

Sustained performance in income tax collection, coupled with a better show in previous months, has enabled the Federal Board of Revenue to achieve its seven-month target of Rs5.12 trillion. However, for the first time in this fiscal year, the monthly target was missed by Rs9 billion or 1.3%. Under an arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), a shortfall of more than 1% may necessitat