Category: Business

KARACHI: Singapore on Monday showed interest and offered Pakistan its expertise for building 5 million low cost houses in the next five years. The offer was placed by Mr Shamsher Zaman — Singapore’s ambassador to Jordan, vice chairman of South Asia Business Group, and chairman of Middle East Business Group – who was leading a […]

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Asad Umar chaired a high-level meeting on Monday to discuss matters pertaining to operationalisation of Pakistan Infrastructure Bank (PIB) and Public Private Partnership Authority (PPPA). The minister said the two institutions aim to play a vital role in enhancing investment-to-GDP ratio and spur overall economic growth. The PIB is expected to be […]

BARCELONA: A global battle between the US government and Chinese tech company Huawei over allegations that it is a cybersecurity risk overshadowed the opening Monday of the world’s biggest mobile industry trade fair. Huawei has an outsize presence at MWC Barcelona, from its displays in three separate show halls down to its red sponsorship logo […]

KARACHI: Stocks fell further on the first trading day of the week with the KSE-100 index dragged down by 409.34 points (1.02 per cent) and closed at 39,606.79. Investors were disinclined to trade in the absence of triggers while concerns over geopolitical situation forced investors to liquidate their positions. Other factors that dampened investor sentiments […]

Among 35 sectors on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), commercial banks stand out with their aggregate paid-up capital of Rs387 billion and market capitalisation of Rs1.46 trillion. Around two dozen banks are listed on the exchange. The five biggest banks — MCB Bank, Habib Bank Ltd (HBL), United Bank Ltd (UBL), Allied Bank Ltd (ABL) […]

THE emerging consensus on the broad objectives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) stabilisation programme has been reinforced by the meeting of Prime Minister Imran Khan with IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde, held recently in Dubai. However, the prolonged negotiations show that views on specifics and pace of reform differ sharply. This time, based on […]

Basmati rice is Pakistan’s celebrated export. But its production and exports have slipped of late. The absence of research and development makes it extremely difficult for the rice sector to prepare for new challenges. The high status of basmati rice as a major export commodity conceals the fact that its contribution to the economy is […]

Banks in Pakistan lend to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) selectively and, at times, reluctantly. They have a reason to do so: about 95 per cent of SMEs work in the informal sector i.e. they are not documented. Lending to them is far riskier than lending to a tax-paying individual. That explains why banks offer […]

WHILE climate change, poor storage capacity, transmission losses and inefficient irrigation methods are blamed for increasing water shortages in the country, the unabated trend of sowing water-guzzling crops like sugar cane and rice only compounds the water scarcity problem. This coupled with the use of decades-old uncertified seed that have lost their productivity and resistance […]

ISLAMABAD: Private gas sector investors are perturbed over unremitting hitches to their investment plans for utilisation of surplus processing capacity of LNG (liquefied natural gas) terminals and setting up of new terminals, while the consumers and national economy pay double the LNG re-gasification charges. About 10 major companies or their associates have complained to the […]