610 stories · Page 17 of 21
Chicago wheat futures climbed to near a two-year high as persistent dryness concerns in key growing regions raised fears about output shortfalls in the upcoming harvest. Prices have been supported by a combination of adverse weather conditions and supply chain uncertainties affecting major exporting nations.
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects have generated over 7,300 direct employment opportunities in Balochistan, with an additional 10,425 jobs expected as further phases of infrastructure and industrial development come online, according to official data released on Tuesday. The figures represent a significant employment dividend from CPEC investment in Pakistan's largest but most underdeveloped province.
Iron ore futures declined on Tuesday after China allowed its steel mills to resume purchases of BHP portside cargo that had previously been banned, a move that increases available supply in the seaborne iron ore market and eases the near-term pricing pressure that had built up during the restriction period. China's decision to lift the purchasing ban on BHP's portside inventory signals an easing of trade tensions with the Australian mining giant and reflects Beijing's need to maintain adequate iron ore feedstock for its steel sector, which remains the backbone of Chinese industrial output.
Google has commenced construction on a large-scale artificial intelligence infrastructure hub in India, marking one of the most significant technology investments in the country's data centre sector to date. The groundbreaking signals a major expansion of the tech giant's AI computing capacity in South Asia.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has received formal recognition from industry and housing sector stakeholders for launching a mortgage housing finance initiative, which is being positioned as a key intervention to address Pakistan's substantial affordable housing deficit and to stimulate activity in the construction sector. The initiative introduces structured mortgage financing instruments designed to extend home ownership access to middle and lower-middle income segments of the population, who have historically been excluded from formal housing finance due to high interest rates, stringent collateral requirements, and limited institutional product offerings.
The Bank of Punjab has reported a 155 percent increase in after-tax profit for the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period last year, delivering one of the strongest quarterly profit growth figures in the provincial bank's recent history and signalling a significant turnaround in its financial performance. The sharp profit increase is attributed to a combination of higher net interest income, improved asset quality, and tighter cost management.
Pakistan has initiated a series of measures aimed at diversifying the international markets for its rice exports, seeking to reduce over-dependence on traditional buyers and expand market access across new geographies in Africa, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia. Rice is among Pakistan's most important agricultural export commodities, with basmati and non-basmati varieties contributing significantly to the country's export revenue.
Asian equity markets moved sideways on Tuesday as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of a packed week featuring major technology company earnings and a critical Bank of Japan policy decision, with the Japanese yen holding steady in early trading. The restrained market mood reflects a broader reluctance among institutional investors to take strong directional positions before clarity emerges on two significant market-moving events.
India and New Zealand have formalised a bilateral free trade agreement that will reduce tariffs on fruit and agricultural products while expanding professional visa quotas, marking a significant step in trade liberalisation between the two economies. The deal concludes years of intermittent negotiations that had stalled over agricultural market access and immigration provisions.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for a concerted national effort to increase Pakistan's gemstone exports by more effectively leveraging the country's extensive indigenous mineral resources. The directive signals a policy push to formalise and scale up a sector that remains largely informal despite Pakistan holding some of the world's most valuable gemstone deposits.
Analysts are examining whether the prolonged Iran conflict could inadvertently create economic opportunities for Asian economies, even as the immediate effects of elevated energy costs and supply chain disruption weigh on growth. The thesis centres on trade route diversification and manufacturing relocation as Western firms seek alternatives to Middle Eastern supply chains.
The Economic Coordination Committee was informed on Monday that prices of essential commodities have begun to ease following a brief uptick, offering some relief after a period of consumer price stress. The briefing was presented as evidence of improving supply-side conditions and effective price monitoring mechanisms.
The Punjab government has announced an expansion of its 'Apna Khet Apna Rozgar' scheme, a flagship agricultural employment programme designed to increase farm productivity and generate rural livelihoods across the province. The initiative provides smallholder farmers with access to subsidised inputs, mechanisation support, and technical guidance aimed at raising yields on underutilised agricultural land.
The Competition Commission of Pakistan has issued a formal market study report on the cement sector, examining structural conditions, pricing behaviour, and competitive dynamics within one of the country's most strategically important industries. The report is designed to identify practices, structural barriers, or market conditions that may be limiting competition in the cement industry, which supplies a critical input to Pakistan's construction, housing, and infrastructure sectors.
European equity markets traded in a narrow range on Monday as investors adopted a cautious wait-and-see posture ahead of resumed US-Iran diplomatic talks and a wave of central bank policy decisions expected later in the week. Major indices across Frankfurt, Paris, and London opened flat to modestly positive, reflecting investor reluctance to build significant positions before clarity emerges on both the geopolitical and monetary policy fronts.
Indus Motor Company, the Pakistani assembler of Toyota vehicles, has announced an additional investment of Rs1 billion directed at increasing the local manufacture and sourcing of automotive components. The initiative is part of the company's broader localisation strategy aimed at reducing dependency on imported parts, improving cost competitiveness, and deepening Pakistan's domestic auto supply chain.
Japan's Nikkei 225 index reached a record high on Monday, buoyed by strong corporate earnings reports and a brief wave of optimism around the prospects for Middle East peace talks before subsequent reports of stalled negotiations introduced fresh uncertainty. The index's milestone reflects the broader recovery momentum in Japanese equities driven by corporate profitability and yen dynamics.
The Indian rupee is expected to remain under sustained pressure in the near term as elevated global oil prices drive aggressive hedging activity by importers, reducing net dollar inflows and compounding the currency's vulnerability to external account stress. Importers rushing to lock in forward contracts to guard against further rupee depreciation are absorbing dollar liquidity from the market, a dynamic that tends to reinforce downward pressure on the currency when sustained over multiple trading sessions.
The sugar industry has welcomed the government's decision to form a dedicated body to oversee deregulation of the sugar sector, viewing the move as a step toward reducing administrative controls that have long distorted pricing and production incentives. The formation of the body signals an intent to shift toward market-led mechanisms in one of Pakistan's most regulated commodity sectors.
MCB Bank continues to maintain a substantial long position in sovereign debt instruments, sustaining its strategy of prioritising government securities over private sector credit deployment. The bank's portfolio allocation reflects a conservative investment posture that has defined its balance sheet in recent years.
Chinese technology and telecommunications giant Huawei has announced a $2.6 billion investment in research and development focused on smart driving technologies, signalling a major commitment to the autonomous and intelligent vehicle segment. The investment underscores Huawei's strategic pivot toward the automotive technology space as it seeks to diversify its revenue base amid continued pressure from Western sanctions affecting its core telecommunications business.
The Sindh government has activated a digital one-window platform designed to consolidate and accelerate the approval process for new businesses and commercial investments. The system aims to reduce bureaucratic delays by integrating multiple licensing, registration, and clearance functions into a single online interface accessible to investors and entrepreneurs.
A dedicated Pakistan Pavilion has been inaugurated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, establishing a new commercial gateway intended to facilitate Pakistani exports into one of China's major inland economic hubs. The facility is designed to provide Pakistani exporters with a permanent and visible trade presence in a city that serves as the commercial and logistical centre of central China.
Federal Minister for Energy Ali Pervaiz Malik stated on Sunday that Pakistan's fuel supply chain remains stable, while cautioning that durable control over energy prices at the consumer level is ultimately contingent on the resolution of ongoing global conflicts that continue to drive commodity volatility. The minister's remarks reflect an acknowledgement that while domestic supply logistics are functioning, external geopolitical pressures — particularly conflicts affecting global oil supply routes and pricing — remain beyond Pakistan's direct control.
Pakistan's cotton sector has once again failed to meet official production targets, a recurring pattern that analysts say reflects deep-rooted structural challenges rather than temporary weather-related setbacks. Actual production has come in below government projections for the second consecutive year, compounding supply concerns for the textile industry.
The Karachi Tax Bar Association has expressed serious concern over what it describes as illegal surcharge proceedings being initiated against taxpayers in relation to super tax payments, calling on the Federal Board of Revenue to immediately halt the practice. KTBA, which represents tax practitioners and litigants in Karachi, argued that the surcharge is being applied without proper legal authority and constitutes an overreach by tax authorities beyond the bounds sanctioned by the Finance Act.
The chairman of the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry has expressed strong concern over the government's latest increase in fuel prices, warning that the revision will push operating costs higher across Karachi's industrial base at a time when businesses are already under acute financial pressure. KATI represents one of Pakistan's largest industrial clusters and its public objection carries weight as a barometer of broader business sentiment.
The Federal Board of Revenue has integrated 12,950 large retailers into its Point-of-Sale system, significantly expanding the reach of real-time sales tax monitoring and marking progress in the government's broader tax broadening and documentation agenda. The POS integration programme requires participating retailers to connect their billing systems directly to the FBR network, enabling automated capture of sales data and reducing the scope for underreporting.
Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal has directed relevant authorities to prepare concrete proposals for cold chain infrastructure development within five days, as the government moves to address post-harvest food losses that cost the agricultural economy billions of rupees annually. The directive reflects an urgency to translate long-standing policy ambitions into actionable programmes.
Pakistan Customs has revised upward the import valuation for 62 models of old and used mobile phones, a move that will affect the cost of bringing refurbished handsets into the country. The adjustment is part of ongoing efforts by customs authorities to align declared import values with prevailing market prices and curb undervaluation that has long facilitated revenue leakage.