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Gold climbs on third day as rupee pauses its winning streak

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  • Gold price settles at Rs197,000 per tola.
  • Cumulatively, it gains Rs3,800 per tola in last three sessions.
  • Bargain hunters take advantage of recent losses.

Gold prices extended gains on Tuesday near a one-week peak hit in the last week, buoyed by a weaker rupee, while investors looked forward to economic developments that could influence the market direction.

Data released by the All-Pakistan Sarafa Gems and Jewellers Association (APSGJA) showed that the price of gold (24 carats) increased by Rs500 per tola and Rs429 per 10 grams to settle at Rs197,000 and Rs168,896, respectively.

The Pakistani rupee lost 0.24% against the US dollar in the interbank market settling at 262.51, which boosted the precious commodity’s appeal.

The bargain hunters took advantage of recent losses, but the precious metal’s outlook was still clouded by prospects of further recovery of the rupee against the greenback as optimism regarding the revival of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme can boost the currency market’s sentiment.

Cumulatively, the yellow metal gained Rs3,800 per tola during the last three sessions.

Meanwhile, silver prices in the domestic market rose by Rs20 per tola and Rs17.14 per 10 grams to settle at Rs2,150 per tola and Rs1,843.27 per 10 grams, respectively.

In the international market, gold price fell by $12 per ounce to settle at $1,832 on a rise in the dollar while investors awaited US economic data to gauge the Federal Reserve’s interest rate strategy.

The dollar index hovered around its highest in six weeks, making dollar-priced gold more expensive for buyers holding other currencies. 

“Gold’s primary driver remains the shifting expectations surrounding the Fed’s next policy moves, with perhaps more clues to be found within the upcoming FOMC minutes release,” said Han Tan, chief market analyst at Exinity.

“Should the US economy continue defying the Fed’s rate hikes, that could invite a higher peak for US rates, much to the chagrin of bullion bulls.”

The focus this week will be on the release of the Federal Open Market Committee’s January meeting minutes on Wednesday, followed by US gross domestic product data on Thursday and Friday’s core PCE price index.

Gold prices hit their highest since April 2022 early this month at $1,959.60, but have since lost around $130 after US data showed signs of a resilient economy.

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Pakistan Desires a Sturdy, Long-Term Alliance With Huawei: PM

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According to Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, the government’s primary objective is to give Pakistani youth technical training in the field of information technology.

The prime minister expressed his desire for a strong and long-term collaboration with Huawei in an interview with a five-member delegation that visited him in Islamabad and was led by Huawei CEO Ethan Sun.

He said the Huawei’s ICT training program will not only increase it exports but will also help youth in getting job opportunities.

The meeting was briefed on the progress made in providing training in the it sector to 300,000 pakistani youth organized by Huawei.

Out of 300,000 youth, 240,000 youth will be provided basic training while 60,000 youth will be provided high-tech training.

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The IMF allows Pakistan to lower electricity tariffs.\

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has permitted the Pakistani government to decrease the energy cost by one rupee.

The alleviation will be incorporated into the base tariff for electrical units, with funding sourced from revenue collected by the levy on captive power plants. A tax has been enacted on the utilization of gas by captive power plants.

The government is developing a relief plan for electricity consumers, which will be announced upon clearance from the international lender.

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Robust purchasing sustains PSX’s positive trend

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On Thursday, bullish momentum continued in the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), with the benchmark KSE-100 index reaching 118,806 after an increase of over 300 points.

Across the board buying was observed in key sectors, including commercial banks, fertiliser, power generation, and oil and gas exploration companies.

Aside from that, index-heavy equities such as MARI, POL, HBL, MCB, UBL, KOHC, and LUCK experienced gains, capitalizing on the prevailing bullish atmosphere in the market.

Market analysts attribute the recent bullish trend in the PSX to a staff-level agreement between the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Pakistani authorities following the initial review under Pakistan’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and a new arrangement under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF).

Furthermore, a recent study done by the Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDC) and Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) regarding the feasibility of the Reko Diq project in Balochistan has also conveyed favorable indications to investors.

The bulls surged rapidly after the staff-level deal with the global lender, with the KSE-100 Index reaching a peak of 118,220 before closing at 117,178 points, reflecting an advance of 1,139 points on Wednesday.

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