Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has increased the maximum personal loan limit under the Prime Minister’s Youth Business and Agriculture Loan Schemes from Rs7.5 million to Rs25 million, while reducing the minimum eligibility age from 21 to 18 years. The decisions were announced during a meeting in Islamabad on Sunday to review progress and implementation of...
Pakistan is witnessing a surge in maritime activity as shifting global trade routes and instability in the Middle East create new opportunities for its ports, particularly Karachi Port and Port Qasim. According to a report published by Dawn on November 9, the government has introduced incentives, tariff reductions, and regulatory reforms to attract international shipping...
Oil prices climbed on Thursday, October 22, 2026, as escalating tensions in the Middle East raised concerns about potential disruptions to global energy supplies. According to Reuters, Brent crude futures rose $1.29, or 1.2%, to $110.11 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude gained 97 cents, or 1%, to $98.12. The price increase...
The government of Pakistan has increased profit rates on several National Savings schemes, with the revised rates taking effect from October 21, 2026. According to the Central Directorate of National Savings (CDNS), the profit rate on Behbood Savings Certificates, Pensioners’ Benefit Accounts and Shuhada’s Family Welfare Accounts has risen from 12.72% to 12.96%. Investors in...
The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) saw strong buying activity on Monday, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index gaining more than 500 points as investors built positions across major sectors. The index climbed during the trading session as market sentiment improved and investors increased exposure to key sectors, including banking, fertiliser, cement, and exploration and production companies....
Pakistan’s consumer inflation eased to 10.3% year-on-year in September 2026, down from 11.1% in August, according to official data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). The decline was more pronounced in rural areas, where inflation fell to 10.5% from 12.2% in August. Urban inflation also eased, reaching 10.1%, compared with 10.4% the previous...
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan expects Washington to respond within the next couple of months to its request for a proposed $10 billion bilateral stabilisation facility, as Islamabad seeks to strengthen investor confidence and improve its access to international capital markets. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb had earlier confirmed that Pakistan approached US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent for the...
Electricity consumers across Pakistan are set to face higher bills in August after the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) approved a fuel cost adjustment (FCA) of 75 paisa per unit for electricity consumed in June 2026. The adjustment is expected to place an additional burden of around Rs9.8 billion on consumers. Nepra had earlier...
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has introduced a new sales tax collection mechanism for Pakistan’s steel industry, linking tax liability directly to electricity consumption in an effort to improve compliance and strengthen documentation across the sector. The new framework will apply to steel melters, re-rollers and composite units, including those generating their own electricity...
Global oil prices fell by more than 1% on Friday as improved crude shipments through key maritime routes eased supply concerns, even as the conflict between the United States and Iran continued to fuel geopolitical uncertainty. Brent crude futures declined by $1.03, or 1.2%, to $88 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude...