Tue, 21-Oct-2025

The Dow drops by over 500 points as the bear market rebound fizzles.

Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 491.27 points (1.56%) to 30,946.99. Disappointing economic data reversed key averages’ gains. The Conference Board’s consumer confidence index slipped to 98.7 from 103.2 in May. U.S. equities dipped Tuesday, erasing earlier gains as the market struggled to bounce from bear-market lows. Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 491.27 points (1.56%) to … Read more

SpaceX has raised $1.68 billion in equity funding

raised

SpaceX has raised $1.68 billion through equity financing, the Elon Musk-founded rocket maker said in a regulatory filing. Comes as SpaceX invests heavily in its Starship rocket development and Starlink broadband internet satellite constellation. The fresh financing round was disclosed in securities filings on Monday. SpaceX has raised $1.68 billion through value funding, the Elon … Read more

PTCL Group wins award in five categories

PTCL

ISLAMABAD: In recognition of its forward-looking human resource practices and work culture, the PTCL Group has won the prestigious Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Benchmark (GDEIB) Award in five categories, a statement said. The achievement highlights the group’s standing as a progressive and wholly employee-centric organisation with unique attributes that have been validated previously, as … Read more

Around 75 countries including China call for global solidarity for vaccine equity

UNITED NATIONS:  Some 75 countries, including China, on Friday called for global solidarity for vaccine equity at the General Debate of the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly. The pandemic knows no borders. The only solution lies in global solidarity, unity and multilateral cooperation, said the countries in a joint statement. “We call on … Read more

Pakistan equity market gains 430 points on ease in Afghan tensions

PSX

KARACHI: The Pakistan stocks ended the week by gaining 430 points, as the news of Taliban taking control over Afghanistan, Pak-Afghan trade picking up and reduction in Customs duties on 159 items in Afghanistan, including cement and steels lifted the market sentiment, dealers said. Ahsan Mehanti at Arif Habib Corp said that the stocks recovered … Read more

Pakistan equity market remains bearish; down 366 points

PSX Continues Bullish Trend, 100 Index Rises 1.37 Per cent

KARACHI: The Pakistan stock market took a negative turn on Monday, primarily due to the selloff in technology stocks, dealers said. Institutional investors were on the selling side, partly due to the redemptions and otherwise due to the concerns on the rising current account deficit and inflation on the back of possible tariff hike. Muhammad … Read more

The government plans to sell 20% of its stake in PAKRI through the PSX

PAKRI

The Pakistani government wants to sell 60,000,000 (20 percent) shares of Pakistan Reinsurance Company Limited (PAKRI or “the Company”) via a Secondary Public Offering using the 100 percent Book Building Method through the Privatization Commission.

The shares will be offered through 100% Book Building, according to the draft prospectus. 75 percent of the Offer size (45 million shares) will be distributed to successful bidders, while 25% of the overall transaction (15 million shares) will be released to the general public.

Unsubscribed shares from the general public part will be distributed pro-rata to succeeding bidders.

Because PAKRI is a publicly-traded company, the Offer’s Floor Price will be revealed shortly after Book Building begins.

The Floor Price will be announced on the Pakistan Stock Exchange, Habib Bank Limited, and Next Capital Limited websites after approval by the Privatization Commission Board and the Cabinet Committee on Privatization (CCOP).

PAKRI is Pakistan’s only reinsurance firm, having been established as a public limited corporation in 2000. In order to promote the local insurance business, it took over all of the assets and liabilities of the former Pakistan Insurance Corporation (PIC), which was established under the PIC Act, 1952. It is a public sector firm that operates as an autonomous agency under the Ministry of Commerce of the Pakistani government, with the primary goal of developing the insurance and reinsurance industry in the country.

In view of the treaty and facultative business, it acts as the national reinsurer, providing reinsurance protection to the local insurance industry.

PAKRI improves the country’s foreign exchange retention capacity by providing reinsurance services locally. In the sphere of reinsurance, it also collaborates and participates with its foreign counterparts.

This is being done under the framework of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), with the goal of minimizing foreign exchange outflows and raising the level of insurance and reinsurance services in the region. PAKRI is a founding member of the Federation of Afro-Asian Insurers and Reins.

Through the Ministry of Commerce, the Pakistani government owns around 45 percent of the Company’s shares.

The retail portion of this Offer does not require guaranteeing because it is being made through 100% book building with a 25% allocation to retail investors.

If the Offer remains unsubscribed, the unsubscribed shares will be distributed pro-rata to the successful bidders. The successful bidders have previously agreed to subscribe on a pro-rata basis to any unsubscribed shares.

The growth of the non-life insurance market, which is primarily driven by economic growth, is PAKRI’s primary revenue generator. As commercial activity grows, so does the demand for insurance, which leads to increased demand for the reinsurance company.

PAKRI’s primary revenue generator is the growth of the non-life insurance market, which is predominantly driven by economic growth. As the business expands, so does the demand for insurance, resulting in greater demand for the reinsurance company.

As businesses succeed, the demand for insurance will grow, ultimately increasing the demand for reinsurance. Being the only domestic reinsurance company, PAKRI is well-positioned to capture any anticipated growth in the insurance industry.

PAKRI’s gross premium has risen to Rs. 17-18 billion in recent years, up from Rs. 8-10 billion in 2014-18. This massive increase can mostly be attributed to new power projects that were reinsured over the period.

More projects under the CPEC program are likely to be constructed, providing the Company with a potential revenue stream. In addition, in 2018, the Company launched its Retakaful business, insuring Rs. 424.8 million in 2019 and Rs. 603 million in 2020.

There are three general takaful companies with 22 window takaful activities, according to the Insurance Association of Pakistan (IAP) Yearbook 2019-20. PAKRI has yet to capture the full market, which will boost the retakaful window’s contribution.

PAKRI has a well-diversified portfolio that includes debt, equity, mutual funds, and investment property. Except for mutual funds, which are outsourced to prominent asset management firms, it maintains these investments in-house.

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Pakistan’s equity market remains mixed on absence of positive triggers

Equity market

KARACHI: Pakistan’s equity market witnessed a mixed session on Wednesday due to the absence of any positive triggers, while increase in the Covid cases kept the market participants away from taking fresh positions, dealers said. Ahsan Mehanti at Arif Habib Corp said that the stocks ended higher led by selected scrips, as investors’ weighed reports … Read more

Pakistan Stock Exchange remains volatile

Strong Uptrend In PSX After Improvement In Global Markets

KARACHI: The Pakistan stocks witnessed a volatile session on Tuesday ahead of the monetary policy announcement later in the day; wherein, the index made an intraday high of +237 points and a low of -56 points to finally close flat, dealers said. An analyst at Pearl Securities said the volatility continued at the bourse where … Read more

Equities post slight gain as investors remain cautious

Equities post slight gain as investors remain cautious

KARACHI: The equity market closed in the green zone on Thursday, despite low investors’ sentiment, which was observed on the back of rollover week. In addition, the investors hesitated to take new positions, as they are waiting for the outcome of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) meeting, which is to be announced on Friday. … Read more