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Dar’s meetings prove fruitful as rupee recovers against dollar

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  • Rupee gains Rs1.59 against dollar. 
  • Local currency closes at 220.88 against greenback. 
  • Analyst believes finance minister’s meeting with SBP officials improved market sentiments. 

KARACHI: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s meetings with the officials of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and currency dealers proved fruitful as the Pakistani rupee opened the week strongly in the interbank market on Monday. 

According to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the local unit gained Rs1.59 or 0.72% against the greenback in the interbank market, closing at 220.88. 

Last week, the rupee lost 0.93% to 222.47 against the dollar. Analysts believed that the local currency would trade range-bound this week. 

Pakistan-Kuwait Head of Research Samiullah Tariq said that the meetings of the finance minister with the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) officials and market participants including banks and exchange companies have improved the market confidence. 

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar warned last week that tough actions will be taken against those found manipulating the exchange rate. 

Dar stated that the rupee’s actual value is below the 200 level against the dollar. 

He issued a warning to those engaged in currency speculation and hoarding, predicting that the rupee will soon appreciate against the dollar.

“Where the rupee is at the present is not the right place. The rupee should trade between 180 and 200 to the dollar in the currency market,” he said.

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Finance Minister: A “big” IMF program is coming for Pakistan.

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Speaking at the Karachi Stock Exchange ceremony, the Finance Minister announced that meetings with IMF representatives would take place in Washington on April 14 and 15.

He applauded the caretaker government’s effort to bring about economic stability and predicted that the nation’s economy would stabilize with improved economic policies.

Muhammad Aurangzeb emphasized that in order to move the country’s economy toward stabilization, structural reforms must be implemented.

He restated that the nation’s recovery from the economic crisis depends heavily on the stock market. The stock market is, nevertheless, trending upward.

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Pakistan is still classified as a secondary emerging market by the FTSE.

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The nation could perhaps be demoted, according to the worldwide index provider, since its index weight has decreased over the previous few years.

Pakistan’s market capitalization peaked in 2017 at $100 billion, but it fell to $21 billion by 2024, according to a Bloomberg research.

It did, however, state that Pakistan’s standing as a secondary emerging market will remain unchanged due to favorable political changes brought about by the establishment of a stable government.

Bloomberg saw Shehbaz Sharif’s election as prime minister, who is open to reform, as a step in the right direction for the nation struggling financially.

Shehbaz Sharif, the president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, was chosen on March 4 to serve as the country’s 24th prime minister.

With 201 votes, PM Shehbaz defeated Omar Ayub Khan of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) by 92 votes.

over the economy, earlier this month, Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) came to an agreement at the staff level over the second and last review conducted under Pakistan’s Stand-By Arrangement.

The IMF secured a staff-level agreement with Pakistan on the second and final review of the nation’s stabilization program, which is backed by the IMF’s US$3 billion (SDR2,250 million) SBA authorized, according to the official statement released by an IMF team led by Nathan Porter.

The remaining US$1.1 billion (SDR 828 million) of SBA access will be made available following the IMF Executive Board’s approval of the deal.

It was reported shortly after the February 8 election that the newly elected PML-N-led government intended to apply for a new IMF credit package.

Pakistan is anticipated to pursue a $6–8 billion loan program from the global lender, and the IMF will be contacted right once to begin negotiations for this. The sources went on to say that the IMF would have tighter requirements this time.

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PM Shehbaz Sharif: “A plan to digitize the tax system is underway.”

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In an address to the All Pakistan Newspapers Society delegation in Islamabad today, the prime minister announced that plans were in motion to update the tax collection system.

The prime minister added that efforts are underway to broaden the revenue base and that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is fully digitizing.

He emphasized that the Tax Excellence Awards were a recent initiative by the government to support female entrepreneurs, exporters, and engaged taxpayers.

The government’s priorities, according to the prime minister, are institutional changes, austerity, domestic and external investment, and privatization of government-owned businesses.

Praiseing the media’s contribution to public awareness-raising and good governance, he called on the sector to successfully communicate the benefits of economic stability under SIFC.

Calling fake news a major problem, he emphasized the need for cooperation to combat it. Additionally, he extended an invitation to the press to back Pakistan’s administration in its endeavors for the country’s growth and well-being.

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