KARACHI: The State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) foreign exchange reserves decreased by $1,245 million during the week ended July 10, 2026, reaching $17,225.8 million. The decline was mainly due to external debt repayments. Pakistan’s total liquid foreign currency reserves stood at $22,675.5 million, including $17,225.8 million held by the SBP and $5,449.7 million with commercial…
Tehran asks the Houthi organisation to stand ready to shut the Red Sea export route The full moon rises in the background over the infrastructure on D Island, the main processing hub, at the Kashagan offshore oil field in the Caspian sea in western Kazakhstan August 21, 2013. PHOTO: REUTERS Oil prices inched up on Friday…
Farmers, millers warn of crisis as supply disruptions, hoarding push bread price up PLANNING FAILURE: “We sold our wheat because we had no choice. Now the same wheat is becoming expensive in the market while farmers have already absorbed the losses. Better planning could have protected both growers and consumers,” said Muhammad Riaz, a wheat…
Netherlands’ Beddinghouse shifts from sourcing to strategic investment in Pakistan ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s economic diplomacy has secured another significant milestone as The Beddinghouse, one of the Netherlands’ leading home textile companies, announced plans to substantially expand its long-term engagement with Pakistan by establishing a permanent corporate presence, investing in skilled human capital and partnering in circular…
ISLAMABAD: A developed capital market is indispensable for sustainable economic growth, veteran businessman Arif Habib said at the SECP Talk Series, where he shared insights from over five decades of association with Pakistan’s capital markets. The session, attended by Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) Chairman Dr Kabir Ahmed Sidhu, commissioners, representatives of market…
Beijing aims to boost domestic demand, target 60 trillion yuan in retail sales by 2030 China has unveiled its first-ever five-year plan dedicated exclusively to boosting domestic consumption, marking a strategic shift as the world’s second-largest economy looks to strengthen internal demand and reduce reliance on external factors for growth. The plan, covering the 2026-30…
Strong H1 growth driven by innovation, high-tech sectors and resilient domestic demand despite global slowdown A worker checks automatic spool winders at a smart factory in Xin’an Town, Deqing County, Zhejiang province, China, on June 15, 2026. Photo: Xinhua China’s economy expanded by 4.7% year-on-year in the first half of 2026, demonstrating resilience amid global…
Commercial bunkering will boost maritime traffic and Pakistan’s regional shipping ambitions Gwadar Port is set to position itself as a strategic alternative refuelling hub for global shipping after Dutch energy trader Vitol began supplying marine fuel at the deep-sea facility, with up to 30 bunker deliveries expected in the coming weeks. The development marks a…
OMCs set up infrastructure facilities like oil storages with capacity of 0.58 million tons for petrol and 0.88 million tons for high-speed diesel at various depots by the end of FY21. photo: file ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s fuel supply chain is again showing signs of stress as policy delays, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and…
Malik urges stronger institutional support, easier financing to unlock growth potential LAHORE: Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) need stronger institutional support, easier access to finance and technology-driven business clusters if they are to play a bigger role in exports, industrial growth and job creation, former SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Iftikhar Ali Malik…