Tue, 21-Oct-2025

Samsung forecasts near-30% jump in Q3 operating profit

Samsung

South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics defied the global supply chain challenges to forecast a near-30-percent jump in third-quarter operating profits on Friday. The world’s biggest smartphone maker said it expected its operating profits to reach around 15.8 trillion won ($13.3 billion) in a regulatory filing, up 27.9 percent year-on-year. The company is the flagship subsidiary of the giant Samsung group, by far … Read more

Power cuts roil China, threatening growth and supply chains

Nasrullah Mughal

DONGGUAN/BEIJING. From southern factories hustling to meet Christmas export orders to residents of northern towns panic buying candles, China is suffering widespread power cuts that threaten growth in the world’s second-largest economy and hit global supply chains. A confluence of factors has led to the rolling brownouts in a country where nearly 60 per cent of … Read more

China factory activity shrinks for first time since February 2020

BEIJING. Chinese factory activity contracted in September for the first time since the height of its initial coronavirus outbreak in February 2020, official data showed on Thursday, as it faces waves of power outages and fears for the real estate sector. The Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) — a key gauge of manufacturing activity in the world’s … Read more

China, Bangladesh discuss economic, trade ties in post-Covid era

DHAKA: China and Bangladesh have discussed how to promote the healthy development of economic and trade cooperation between the two countries in the post-Covid-19 pandemic era. The two sides had the discussions at the China-Bangladesh Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum 2021 and the inauguration of the Seventh Council of Chinese Enterprises Association in Bangladesh (CEAB) … Read more

Evergrande isn’t Lehman but could still cause a credit crunch in China

MOSCOW/CAIRO: Evergrande Group is a massive Chinese property developer with debts of $300 billion it is struggling to pay, Arab News reported. A major default by the Fortune Global 500 firm would send shockwaves through the Chinese economy and may cause foreign investors to pull cash out of China and other emerging markets. This raises … Read more

Bad news piles up for UK economy before Christmas

UK puts army on standby to help ease fuel crisis

LONDON: Britain is suffering from a wave of Brexit-and-Covid-induced crises, from runaway energy prices to shortages of goods, drivers and motor fuel while unemployment is predicted to jump before Christmas. Last year, a huge surge in Covid cases and hospital admissions forced the government to slap restrictions on social mixing indoors, ruining festive season plans. … Read more

Economic update: Changing geo-political situation puts pressure on exchange rate

rupee

ISLAMABAD: The revival of economic activities domestically has surged import bill, mainly due to an increase in the prices of raw materials for consumer and capital goods, especially during the last three months. The substantial rise in the international commodity prices is the major reason for the increase in import bill, which has put pressure … Read more

Malaysia targets 5.5% GDP growth in next 5 years

Economy KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is targeting a gross domestic product (GDP) growth between 4.5 per cent to 5.5 per cent/annum in 2021 to 2025, under its 12th five-year economic plan, unveiled by the government on Monday. The growth will be supported by strong domestic demand and a higher contribution from the external sector, it said. … Read more

Tourism has potential to boost economy: President Alvi

President Dr Arif Alvi

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has said that tourism in Pakistan has a great potential to boost economy, as well as improve the economic health of small business operators and the people attached with the tourism industry. In a message on the occasion of the World Tourism Day, he said, the purpose of the celebration … Read more

SBP took action on the rising value of the dollar

SBP

When the SBP took action on the rising value of the dollar, the value of the dollar fell sharply in the interbank market. According to the details, the SBP took action on the rising value of the US dollar. After the intervention of the central bank, the dollar fell by Rs 1.52 paise in the … Read more

Economy shifting from consolidation to growth: Tarin

Shaukat Tarin Budget speech

ISLAMABAD: Owing to prudent fiscal policies and strict financial discipline, Pakistan’s economy is shifting from consolidation to growth, a senior government official said on Thursday. During a virtual meeting with Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, executive secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (UNESCAP) at the Finance Division, Federal Finance and … Read more

UAE wants quick trade talks with 8 key nations

Israel, UAE ministers in US as Biden seeks to expand normalization

DUBAI: The UAE will pursue an aggressive timetable to negotiate broad economic agreements with eight countries it wants to deepen trade ties with, hoping it can wrap up some of those talks within a year, Reuters quoted UAE trade minister, as saying. The Gulf state, already a hub for global trade, this month announced plans … Read more

US economy ‘downshifted slightly’ to moderate pace amid Delta variant surge: Fed survey

WASHINGTON: US economic growth “downshifted slightly” to a moderate pace in early July through August amid a Delta variant-fuelled Covid-19 surge, according to a Federal Reserve survey released on Wednesday. “The deceleration in economic activity was largely attributable to a pullback in dining out, travel, and tourism in most districts, reflecting safety concerns due to … Read more

Dollar price should be controlled, according to the ex-president of FPCCI

Dollar

The value of the dollar should be controlled and unnecessary imports should be banned, said the President of UBG.

Zubair Tufail, former president of FPCCI and president of United Business Group, has said that the devaluation of the rupee against the dollar has led to imports and the gap between exports is widening and immediate action should be taken, the situation could become alarmingly dangerous.

Zubair Tufail said in a statement that the rupee’s rise to Rs 167 against the dollar would lead to a storm of inflation in the country and food prices would skyrocket, making the livelihood of the poor and middle class more difficult while the trade deficit. It is feared to grow to alarming proportions.

Zubair Tufail appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan to take immediate action realizing the gravity of the situation as the appreciation of the dollar has led to fears that the rupee will depreciate further which will affect not only national security but also the economy.

If Prime Minister Imran Khan does not solve this problem, Pakistan’s sovereignty will be endangered, the country’s debt will increase sharply, and therefore it is necessary to control the value of the dollar and unnecessary imports.

The government should take steps to curb unnecessary imports on an emergency basis. In this age of inflation, it has become inevitable to stop the value of the dollar in one place. The people of Pakistan cannot afford further inflation.

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Pakistan’s forex reserves reach record high of $27.227 billion

Dollar

KARACHI: Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves have reached an all-time high of $27.228 billion by the week ended August 27, 2021. The foreign exchange reserves have increased $2.609 billion during the week under review. The total liquid exchange reserves of the county were $24.619 billion by the week ended August 20, 2021, the State Bank of … Read more

Tractor makers’ offices raided for alleged involvement in anti-competitive activities

ISLAMABAD: The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) on Thursday raided offices of two leading tractor manufacturing companies for substantially raising the prices of tractors, despite getting relief and subsidy from the government. As part of an investigation against tractor manufacturers for prima facie violation of Sections 3 and 4 of the Competition Act, 2010, the … Read more

Australia avoids double-dip recession in Q2 but outbreak takes toll

Australia

Sydney: Australia’s economy expanded more than expected in the second quarter, data showed on Wednesday, easing concerns that the country could suffer a double-dip recession as it battles a fresh wave of Covid infections thanks to a pick-up in domestic demand. However, there are fears it will suffer a contraction in the current period with … Read more

Duty-free Afghan imports surge 73% in FY21

trade

KARACHI: The Model Customs Collectorate (MCC) Peshawar has said that the quantum of duty-free imports from Afghanistan has surged 73 per cent in the fiscal year 2020/21. The volume of imports from Afghanistan cleared through the collectorate during the fiscal year 2020/21 was Rs84.4 billion, compared with Rs65.44 billion in the preceding fiscal year, showing … Read more

FBR directs senior officers to furnish assets declaration

FBR

KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has identified that majority of its senior officers have failed to furnish their assets declaration. The assets declaration is mandatory under the government servant laws and mandatory for the promotion to the next scale. In an official memo sent to the officers of the Inland Revenue Service (IRS) … Read more

Food inflation grows 8.4% in August

Food Prices Hit 6-year High Around The World: UN

KARACHI: The headline or food inflation based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) has increased 8.4 per cent on a year-on-year (YoY) basis in August 2021, compared with an increase of 8.4 per cent in the previous month and 8.2 per cent in August 2020, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported on Wednesday. On … Read more

ECC approves provision of funds for Roosevelt Hotel

PIA

ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet approved the provision of funds to meet the emergent liabilities of Roosevelt Hotel Corporation, which is a property of the national flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines. Presided over by Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin, the Aviation Division presented a summary to the committee, … Read more

Govt issues draft Computer Emergency Response Teams rules

U.S. conducts cyber-attack on Iran

KARACHI: To ensure national and economic security by augmenting information, communication and cyber-security landscape through agile information sharing, timely incident handling and active collaborations, the Ministry of Information has notified draft Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERT) rules. The National Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERT) is a national initiative to handle ever-emerging challenges in multiple levels … Read more

PSO to buy priciest LNG cargo amid tight global market

KARACHI: The Pakistan State Oil (PSO) procured a spot shipment for September 26 and 27, 2021 delivery at the equivalent of $17.85/mmbtu. Vitol will supply the cargo. According to the PSO, Vitol offered to supply LNG at the rate of 24.5456 per cent of Brent, which is equivalent to $17.85/mmbtu. Pakistan’s previous record-high LNG cargo … Read more

KCAA gets Pakistan Single Window biometric verification facility

Pakistan exports

KARACHI: A biometric verification facility for the Pakistan Single Window (PSW) has been inaugurated at the Karachi Customs Agents Association (KCAA) to facilitate Customs agents and importers/exporters to register at the PSW portal, a statement said on Monday. The KCAA said the association was first to launch such an important facility where the Customs agents … Read more

CPI-based inflation estimated at 8.3% in August

Markets

KARACHI: The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for August 2021 is estimated to reach 8.3 per cent Year-on-Year (YoY) against 8.4 per cent YoY reported in July 2021. Analysts at Insight Research said on Monday, the CPI is estimated to inch up 0.5 per cent on a Month-on-Month (MoM) basis. The muted inflation number during the … Read more

President Alvi urges banks to develop links with varsities for research

President Israeli Bombardment

KARACHI: President Dr Arif Alvi on Monday advised the banks to develop links with universities for nurturing the trend of conducting research on latest trends and demands of the market. Speaking as the chief guest in the 4th Roundtable conference on Islamic Banking, the president said why there was a need to establish a separate … Read more