Pakistan’s trade deficit with nine neighboring countries rose sharply by 43.22% to reach $5.328 billion in the first half of fiscal year 2025 (1HFY25), compared to $3.72 billion in the same period last year, according to data from the Bank Pakistani state. SBP). The widening trade gap is primarily due to a significant increase in … Read more
In a recent interview on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, Margaret Qualley said it took “a year” for her skin to recover from the irritation caused by the facial prosthetics used in “The Substance.” The damage was so bad that director Coralie Farget had to contour her face in certain shots. “In the end, when … Read more
Remittances from overseas Pakistanis exceeded export earnings during the first half of fiscal year 2024-25, highlighting a shift in foreign exchange inflows despite the government’s efforts to boost exports. According to data issued by the State Bank of Pakistan, remittances amounted to $17.645 billion, exceeding exports of $16.561 billion, a difference of $1.084 billion. In … Read more
Pakistan is preparing to issue yuan-denominated bonds for the first time this year to support public finances, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said, while the government remains optimistic about meeting the conditions of an IMF bailout loan. The South Asian country plans to raise $200 million to $250 million from Chinese investors over the next six … Read more
The Ministry of Finance has finalized the proposed timeline for Pakistan’s federal budget for the fiscal year 2025-2026, with plans to present the budget in the first week of June 2025. Preparatory meetings and deadlines have been set to ensure timely submission and approval of key documents. Under the proposal, all budget documents would be … Read more
ISLAMABAD: Services exports from Pakistan rose by 7.8% during the first five months of the current fiscal year, reaching $3.275 billion, compared to $3.044 billion during the same period of the previous year, according to trade data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. This growth reflects an upward trend in the country’s services sector, … Read more
Bangladesh has been named The Economist’s “Country of the Year” for 2024, an annual award given to countries that show significant progress within one year. The recognition highlights the student-led protests in Bangladesh in August that ended the 15-year autocratic rule of Sheikh Hasina, ushering in an interim technocratic government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad … Read more
Chinese authorities have agreed to issue three trillion yuan ($411 billion) in special treasury bonds next year, which would be the highest ever, as Beijing steps up fiscal stimulus to revive the faltering economy, two sources said. The 2025 sovereign debt issuance plan would be a sharp increase from 1 trillion yuan this year, and … Read more
IslamabadWheat imports into the country during the first four months of the current fiscal year recorded a 100 percent decline compared to imports for the corresponding period last year. During the period from July-October 2023-24, the country spent $166,633 million on importing more than 556,903 metric tons of wheat to meet local needs, which recorded … Read more
More than a year after the Regent Plaza Hotel was sold to the Sindh Urology and Transplant Institute, its parent company, the Pakistan Hotel Development Corporation, has withdrawn from the Pakistan Stock Exchange. Other than a few properties that were essentially unused, PHDL’s main asset was the Regent Plaza Hotel, which was a long way … Read more