News Archives for Print - 2014-06-28

Print - 2014-06-28

Aaj TV - Saturday's schedule

All timings are in PST (Pakistan Standard Time).

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

BRIDGE NOTES: Feel proud at Bridge

It is an established fact that of all three departments of Bridge play, bidding and defense, the last of three is the most difficult for the simple reason that while in play, you have 26 cards to choose from, while in defense you need to decipher your par

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Hair today, gone tomorrow? The furry face of the Brazil World Cup

World Cup footballers keen to keep up with the latest styles. Tattoos, brightly-coloured boots, the Mohawk cut, dyed hair - you name it, they've got it. The world's footballers try to be nothing if not stylish, both on and off the pitch.

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Orlando Harry Potter attraction enchants

The signature ride of the new "Harry Potter" attraction at Universal Studios in Orlando, a roller coaster with passenger cars that pitch, heave and spin 360 degrees through a 3-D film adventure, was shut during a media preview last Thursday after minor gl

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Five years after death, Jackson's fortunes blooming

Michael Jackson fans will place flowers on his grave in Los Angeles this week to mark the fifth anniversary of his death, but half a decade on, the pop icon's financial fortunes are positively blooming. The self-proclaimed King of Pop was struggling to av

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

World's largest telescope

Construction on the world's largest optical telescope began with a bang last Thursday, as workers demolished a hilltop in Chile's Atacama desert. The European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) telescope, being built by the European Southern Observatory, a

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

World's first' android newscaster

Japanese scientists on Tuesday unveiled what they said was the world's first news-reading android, eerily lifelike and possessing a sense of humour to match her perfect language skills. The adolescent-looking "Kodomoroid" - an amalgamation of the Japanese

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Monarch butterfly uses magnetic, Sun compasses

The North American monarch butterfly uses the Sun as well as Earth's magnetic field as navigational tools for its famous long-distance migration, scientists said Tuesday. The insects with their characteristic orange-and-black wings flutter thousands of ki

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Copper wires may also work as batteries

A breakthrough in the way energy is stored could lead to smaller electronics, more trunk space in a hybrid car and eventually clothing that can recharge a cellphone, according to researchers at the University of Central Florida. Nanotechnology scientist J

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Political Regimes and MDG performance

The MDGs' fiasco in Pakistan presents an interesting comparative case study of performance of political regimes during the period 1990-2013. In a stylistic sense, political regimes reflect political will, political ownership and/or country ownership for w

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Health trend: Vegetable smoothies

A smoothy drink of spinach, apple and cucumber is very healthy - and it's also the latest health trend. Following on from the fruit smoothy, vegetable smoothies are the drink of choice for the health-conscious person. "Juices that are more than 50 percent

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Doctors urge parents to read to babies

A leading US doctors' group Tuesday urged parents to read to their children starting in infancy, in order to boost language skills in an age of screens and smartphones. Pediatricians have long encouraged reading to children, but the guidelines are the fir

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Aide's book describes 'farcical' aftermath of Mandela's death

Nelson Mandela's widow was forced to get accreditation to attend his memorial service and could only bring four family members as his clan squabbled after his death, the South African icon's former private assistant says. Graca Machel, who became Mandela'

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Travelling 36,000 years underground in France's Chauvet cave

It is a cave so closely guarded that only three people know the code to the half-tonne reinforced door that seals its entrance, where cameras keep watch 24 hours a day. But AFP was given a rare chance to step through this gateway into prehistory and into

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

ART FACTS: Innovative personal perspectives

For some years the concept of art residencies has emerged in our country. These residence programmes are aimed to further groom the talent of participating artists and bring a change in our art scene in accordance with the art world.

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

KARACHI CHRONICLE: K Electric: new name but same game

June began with a big bang of the muhalla transformer. An hour later, and still no sign of the power being restored, the family which lives in the apartment above mine, clattered down the stairs in their nightdresses. The mother said "I am going to my mot

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

The assassination that started WWI

Gavrilo Princip, the 19-year-old whose assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo 100 years ago this June 28 sparked World War I, was weedy, bookish and a bit shy. But the pint-sized peasant boy was also a passionate Serb and Slav nationalist w

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Refreshing Ramazan drinks

Drinking fresh Juices help to reduce the intensity of thirst and protect from dehydration during the Ramazan. Fresh juices enrich with minerals and vitamins helps to maintain the balance of water and minerals in the body. These drinks help the person to i

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Political Regimes and MDG performance

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Daily trading report of PMEX

On Friday at Pakistan Mercantile Exchange (PMEX) value traded increased by 25.94 percent to PKR 4.9 billion from PKR 3.9 billion recorded a day ago. Number of lots traded was reported at 18,373 and PMEX Commodity Index closed at 3,065. Major business was

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Brazil harvests coffee crop 35-40 percent

Brazil's 2014 coffee harvest is between 35 and 40 percent complete, the president of the country's National Coffee Council said on Thursday, citing reports from member cooperatives. The Council is maintaining its forecast, last revised in April, for a cof

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Vietnam's rice crop output seen up

Vietnam's winter-spring rice crop, the largest of its three annual crops, produced an estimated 20.83 million tonnes of paddy, or unhusked grain, up 4.1 percent from last year due to higher yields, the government said on Thursday. The average yield rose 3

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

India's 2014-15 edible oil imports seen up

India's edible oil imports, including palm oil, may rise 5.4 percent to 11.7 million tonnes in the year to October 2015 as a weak monsoon hurts domestic oilseeds production, an industry expert said on Thursday. Higher purchases by the world's leading cook

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

EU barley harvest likely to fall

The European Union's harvest of barley, used for animal feed and malt output, is likely to fall this year but supplies will be adequate to meet the bloc's needs, analysts said on Wednesday. German analyst FO Licht forecasts the EU barley harvest of all ty

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Activities at Karachi and Qasim ports

The Karachi Port handled 163,803 tonnes of cargo comprising 133,854 tonnes of import cargo and 29,949 tonnes of export cargo including 5,535 loaded and empty containers during the last 24 hours ending at 0700 hours on Friday. The total import cargo of 133

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Cotton market: rates further decline on slack business

Less buying interest pushed rates further down on the cotton market on Friday in the process of low activity, dealers said. The official spot rate extended overnight fall, losing more Rs 50 to Rs 6,650, they added. While, the prices of seed cotton from Si

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

US Midwest soyabean bids mixed

Spot soyabean basis bids around the US Midwest were mixed on Thursday as tight old-crop stocks underpinned values, but a sharp jump in futures prices limited basis gains. Soya corn basis bids were mostly steady to lower, pressured by scattered farmer sell

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

French economy stagnant in first quarter: INSEE

The French economy stagnated in the first quarter and investment continued to decline but purchasing power saw a bump, the state statistics agency said on Friday. Confirming an earlier estimate, INSEE said the French economy saw zero growth in the first q

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Portugal achieves huge reduction in first quarter budget deficit

Portugal, which has just emerged from a bailout programme, nearly halved its budget deficit in the first quarter of the year relative to national output, official data showed on Friday. The ratio of the public deficit to gross domestic product fell from 1

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Libor

Barclays seeks outside help to speed up probe

Barclays Plc said it is bringing in outside help to speed up an investigation into alleged misconduct in its "dark pool" operations, which have rekindled concerns that the cost of past problems at its investment bank will rise. More than 2 billion pounds

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Renault-Nissan, Daimler unveil joint venture in Mexico

Carmakers Renault-Nissan and Daimler announced Friday that they will join forces to build compact cars in Mexico. The Franco-Japanese and German groups said in a joint statement that they would invest 1.0 billion euros ($1.36 billion) in the construction

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

China simplifies rules on banks' foreign exchange business

China has simplified rules governing the buying and selling of foreign exchange by banks, in a move to cut red-tape and give them leeway in managing risks. Banks will have greater autonomy in foreign-exchange transactions with companies and individuals, a

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Japan tax hike boosts inflation, hurts spending

Inflation hit a three-decade high and unemployment dipped further in Japan, data showed Friday, as the government's bid to jumpstart the economy takes hold, but analysts warned it was too early for celebrations. Japanese consumer inflation, stripping out

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

North Korea's economy grows 1.1 percent in 2013

North Korea's economy expanded an estimated 1.1 percent in 2013, marking the third consecutive year of positive growth, South Korea's central bank said Friday. The Bank of Korea put the North's nominal gross national income (GNI) at 33.8 trillion won ($33

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

German inflation edges higher in June

Inflation in Germany, Europe's biggest economy, edged fractionally higher in June after reaching its lowest rate in four years the previous month, preliminary data showed on Friday. According to a flash estimate calculated by the federal statistics office

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Attacks prompt Bulgarian central bank warning

Bulgaria's central bank warned of an attempt to destabilise the country on Friday following an apparently coordinated campaign to spread rumours that some of its banks were in financial trouble, triggering public panic. "In recent days there has been an a

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

US judge warns Argentina over 'illegal' payments

A US judge said Friday a deposit from Argentina towards paying off restructured debt was illegal unless hedge funds holding $1.3 billion in bonds were also paid. Judge Thomas Griesa warned Buenos Aires that any further such payment attempts would put it i

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

US judge warns Argentina over 'illegal' payments

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Spain reports zero-percent inflation

Spain reported Friday a zero-percent annual inflation rate in June, even as the European Central Bank fights off a deflationary threat hanging over the region. Consumer prices were unchanged in the year to June, held down by the low cost of food, soft dri

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

German minister eyes possibility of breaking up Google

Germany's justice minister says the possibility of dismantling Google should be considered if the Internet giant abuses its dominant position, in a newspaper interview to be published Saturday. "Just imagine an energy company that covers 95 percent of the

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

TUI and TUI: travel reach deal to form world tourism leader

German travel group TUI and its British subsidiary TUI Travel said on Friday that they had agreed to a tie-up that will create the world's biggest tourism operator. "The independent directors of TUI Travel and the executive board of TUI AG are pleased to

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Zimbabwe banks seek 'Big Daddy' investors abroad as defaults rise

A series of Zimbabwean-owned banks are struggling to stay above water as loan defaults grow, forcing lenders to turn to foreign investors if they can and undermining President Robert Mugabe's black economic empowerment drive. With the Zimbabwean economy s

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

China to stop collection of 'unauthorised' fees from companies

China, in a fresh bid to help companies cut costs, said on Thursday it is taking steps to reduce the burden they face paying both official and unauthorised fees. In an online statement, the government said it will draw up a list of approved fees so compan

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

General Motors dealers stop Cruze sales over faulty Takata airbags

General Motors has told dealers to stop selling about 33,000 new and used Chevrolet Cruze sedans from model years 2013 and 2014 due to a potential problem with airbags from Japan's Takata. Potentially faulty airbags manufactured by Takata - that could rup

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

China's plane demand surges but bumpy ride ahead

Already Asia's biggest aircraft buyer, China is developing its own passenger planes and building scores of airports but its aviation expansion faces turbulence from slowing growth and inadequate infrastructure. As the country's carriers spend billions on

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Alcoa buys British jet engine parts maker for $2.85 billion

US aluminium giant Alcoa is expanding its aerospace business with the $2.85 billion cash-and-stock acquisition of Firth Rixson, a leading British manufacturer of jet engine components. Alcoa said Thursday it had signed a definitive agreement to buy Firth

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

US to face multibillion-dollar bill from climate change

Annual property losses from hurricanes and other coastal storms of $35 billion; a decline in crop yields of 14 percent, costing corn and wheat farmers tens of billions of dollars; heat wave-driven demand for electricity costing utility customers up to $12

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Moroccan economy to grow 3.7 percent in 2015

Morocco's state planning agency said on Thursday it expected economic growth to pick up to 3.7 percent in 2015, from 2.5 percent in 2014. The semi-autonomous agency, which released its annual figures before the government starts preparing next year's nati

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Southeast Asian markets: Thai stock index hit new 8-month high

Thailand's main stock index hit a new eight-month high on Friday as shares of PTT rallied after the appointment of new directors, while most others in Southeast Asia fell in line with Asian stocks amid doubts about the strength of the US economy. Thailand

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

TSX rises as energy, materials shares show strength

Canada's main stock index closed modestly higher on Thursday, reversing earlier weakness on the back of higher energy and financial shares and a turnaround in mining stocks. The index's heavily weighted energy sector rose 0.73 percent despite crude oil pr

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Hong Kong shares up, China stocks down

Hong Kong shares ended 0.10 percent higher Friday thanks to a late buying spree, bucking a broad regional sell-off despite a negative lead from Wall Street. The benchmark Hang Seng Index added 23.69 points to 23,221.52 on turnover of HK$48.28 billion (US

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Friday's early trade: stocks flat on mixed economic data

US stocks were flat on Friday, pointing to a week of modest losses as recent data painted a mixed picture of economic growth, though Wall Street's 2014 rally was expected to continue into the second half of the year. The S&P 500 was 0.3 percent away from

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Wall Street dips

US stocks ended slightly lower on Thursday after the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis said interest-rate increases should come sooner rather than later. Six of the 10 S&P 500 sectors were in negative territory. The S&P financial index sl

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Long yields hit three-week lows

US Treasuries yields dropped on Thursday as traders eyeing a possible slowing of American economic growth drove up prices for a fourth straight day. Yields of 10- and 30-year Treasuries touched three-week lows as investors, already surprised on Wednesday

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Long yields hit three-week lows

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Indian shares soar

Indian shares rose on Friday as defensive stocks such as Sun Pharmaceutical Industries and Ranbaxy Laboratories jumped on the US regulator's approval for a key drug while IT stocks gained after rival Accenture Plc reported robust quarterly revenue growth.

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Tokyo stocks down

Tokyo stocks closed down 1.39 percent on Friday, weighed by poor US economic data and with a stronger yen dampening exporter shares. The Nikkei 225 index ended at 15,095.00, down 213.49 points or 1.39 percent, logging its sharpest percentage decline in si

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

European stocks slightly higher

European stocks ended slightly higher on Friday, halting a week-long sell-off, with Airbus rising after sources said the European plane maker is set to clinch a deal with Rolls-Royce for A330 engines. Airbus shares gained 1.6 percent while Rolls-Royce sha

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Sri Lankan stocks up

Sri Lankan stocks rose for a fourth straight session on Friday to close at their highest in more than one year, led by large-caps such as Ceylon Tobacco Co Plc amid lower interest rates and continued foreign buying boosting investor sentiment. The main st

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Australian shares slip

Australian shares slipped 0.4 percent on Friday, as investors remained wary after US stocks dipped on worries that an interest rate hike could come sooner than expected, though gains in the defensive sector kept the market in check. The S&P/ASX 200 index

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

FTSE index rises as TUI Travel gains on merge plan

Britain's top shares rose on Friday, led by TUI Travel on plans for a merger, while housebuilders drew further support on less draconian curbs on home loans by the Bank of England than some had expected. TUI Travel, Europe's biggest tour operator, and maj

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Indian rupee snaps four-week fall

The Indian rupee snapped a four-week falling streak while also gaining slightly on the day as continued foreign fund inflows into debt and equity markets helped offset demand for the greenback from importers. The rupee has been trading in a tight range in

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Dollar drops in Asia

The dollar was poised to end the week with a whimper, dropping to a more than one-month low against the yen on Friday after downbeat US spending data gave investors no reason to hope for higher US rates anytime soon. The New Zealand dollar, meanwhile, hov

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Dollar falls, Swedish crown weakens in London

The dollar looked set for a second week of losses on Friday, after poor US economic data left investors with no reason to expect interest rates will rise anytime soon. In Europe, German inflation data are also expected to signal a prolonged period of easy

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Early trade in New York: dollar falls versus majors

The US dollar edged lower on Friday against a basket of major currencies and looked set for a second week of losses after positive data on consumer sentiment failed to boost expectations for a rise in interest rates any time soon. The Thomson Reuters/Univ

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Dollar flat in New York

The US dollar erased its gains to trade flat against a basket of major currencies on Thursday after US data suggested growth was perking up after a dismal first quarter but was not robust enough to give a decisive lift to the dollar. Analysts said data on

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Sterling stays close to six-year-highs

Sterling stayed within touching distance of six-year-highs against the dollar on Friday after data indicated the UK recovery is gathering steam, keeping alive expectations of a rate hike this year. The data showed the fastest expansion in UK business inve

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Won leads weekly Asia FX gains

The South Korean won hit a near six-year high on Friday, leading weekly gains among emerging Asian currencies, as weak US economic data cemented views that the Federal Reserve may keep interest rates low, driving more funds to the region. The won rose as

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Li crashes, Djokovic survives horror fall

Chinese star Li Na crashed out of Wimbledon Friday in another twist to her love-hate relationship with the tournament while Novak Djokovic made the last-16 but only after surviving a horror fall. Second seed Li lost 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/5) in the third round

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Afridi to stage charity T20 for refugees

Pakistan cricket legend Shahid Afridi said Friday he is planning a Twenty20 match to raise money for almost half a million people displaced by a military operation in the country's northwest. More than 470,000 have fled the offensive against strongholds o

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

PCB chief elected in all-powerful ICC executive body

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Najam Sethi was Friday elected on the newly-formed, all powerful ICC Executive Committee (ExCo). The ExCo comprises of five members with representations from India, England and Australia besides two others with Pakist

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Attacking West Indies put New Zealand on the back foot

Some attacking batting by the West Indies put New Zealand on the back foot at lunch as the home side reached 159 for two on the second day of the third Test at Kensington Oval on Friday. Replying to the tourists' first innings total of 293, Kraigg Brathwa

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

PCB hopes for Aamer's early return

Pakistan cricket authorities on Friday said they hoped banned paceman Mohammad Aamer would return to domestic cricket before the end of his five-year ban for spot-fixing. Aamer, now 22, was issued with the worldwide ban on playing cricket after he pleaded

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Suarez returns home to a hero's welcome

Uruguay striker Luis Suarez, banned from football for four months after biting an opponent at the World Cup, returned home to a hero's welcome from hundreds of fans at Montevideo airport on Friday, reports said. Suarez, 27, flew back to his home country o

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Brazil set for acid test against confident Chile

Brazil know that their outstanding past record against Chile will count for nothing when the sides meet in an all-South American World Cup last-16 tie at the Mineirao in Belo Horizonte on Saturday afternoon. The tournament hosts have lost just eight of 68

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

FIFA lift Beckenbauer suspension

German legend Franz Beckenbauer has had his 90-day ban from any football-related activity lifted by FIFA, his manager said on Friday in a statement posted on Twitter. Beckenbauer was suspended by world football's governing body on June 13 for breaching FI

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

10-man Belgium send South Korea packing

Jan Vertonghen led 10-man Belgium to a 1-0 victory over South Korea on Thursday that gave them top place in their World Cup group and ended Asian hopes in the competition. The stand-in captain hit the winner 12 minutes from time as Belgium finished with a

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Laser beam controversy overshadows Algeria qualification

Algeria progressed to the last 16 of the World Cup for the first time in their history with a 1-1 draw against Russia on Thursday, but controversy surrounded Islam Slimani's equaliser as Russian goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev appeared to have been distracted by

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Sisi in Sudan after Africa 'terrorism' warning

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi landed in Islamist neighbour Sudan on Friday for a lightning visit, which an analyst said would attempt to shore up a regional alliance against Islamic "terrorism". An AFP photographer at Khartoum airport confirmed

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Crisis-hit Bulgaria to return to the polls October 5

Bulgarians will return to the polls for snap elections in October, the main political parties announced on Friday, after months of political crisis. Sergey Stanishev, the leader of the ruling Socialist party, said after meetings with opposition parties th

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

US laboratory 'sold indigenous blood': Ecuador

A US laboratory sold across at least eight countries blood samples taken without consent from an indigenous group, Ecuador alleged Friday after a months-long investigation. The samples were taken from the Huaorani ethnic group of about 3,000 people who li

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Abdullah rouses protesters in Afghan election stand-off

Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah led several thousand demonstrators through Kabul on Friday, upping the stakes in his protest against alleged election fraud that has triggered a political crisis. Abdullah has vowed to reject the election re

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Bosnian Serbs unveil statue of Archduke assassin

Gavrilo Princip is known around the world as the man whose actions sparked World War I. But for many of his fellow Bosnian Serb countrymen, he is a hero, not a villain. In a ceremony to mark the centenary of the war on Friday, Bosnian Serbs unveiled a two

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Dozens of foreign diplomats seek asylum in Canada

Dozens of foreign diplomats have requested asylum in Canada, the daily French-language newspaper La Presse reported Friday, citing secret government documents. They include 38 Afghanistan envoys and their families, from 2009 to 2014, as well as 16 diploma

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Hong Kong lawyers march against Beijing 'interference'

More than a thousand lawyers all dressed in black took to the streets of Hong Kong in a silent march Friday against "interference" by Beijing in the city's judiciary. China issued its first ever policy document stipulating how Hong Kong should be governed

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

EU gives Russia three days on Ukraine or face tougher sanctions

EU leaders on Friday gave Russia three days to change policy on Ukraine or face the prospect of tougher sanctions as Kiev said it would consider a cease-fire extension with pro-Moscow rebels. In a statement Friday, the 28 European Union leaders said Mosco

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Israeli air raid kills two Gaza Palestinians

An Israeli air strike on a car in the Gaza Strip killed two Palestinians Friday, medics said, hours after a bomb exploded near troops manning Israel's security fence. The violence comes a day after Israel accused two men it said belong to Hamas of kidnapp

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Serbia airlines earn safety clearance to fly to US

The US aviation regulator upgraded Serbia's safety rating Friday, giving the country's airlines the right to fly into the United States. The Federal Aviation Administration raised Serbia's rating for complying with safety standards of the International Ci

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Juncker named to top EU job in bitter blow for Britain

Jean-Claude Juncker was named as the next president of the European Commission on Friday, dealing a bitter blow to David Cameron, who said it threatened to increase Britain's chances of leaving the EU. The British prime minister said Juncker's nomination

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Investors scale back gold, energy ETP exposure in May

Investors dumped gold and energy exchange traded products (ETPs) in May as some of the heat came out of the Ukraine crisis, the latest monthly data from asset manager BlackRock shows. Some $297 million was withdrawn from gold ETPs and energy ETPs lost $21

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Copper slips

Copper slipped after hitting its highest in 3-1/2 months on Friday, spurred by hopes that an improved outlook for the world's No 2 economy China may strengthen demand just as supply is tightening. Chinese importers are turning to purchases of refined copp

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Brent oil little changed in choppy trading

Brent crude oil was little changed in choppy trading on Friday as investors moved to square positions following one of the international benchmark's biggest weekly falls this year due to reduced concerns over exports from strife-torn Iraq. Prices have dro

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Thailand to shelve rubber selling plan

Thailand's military government is to shelve a plan to sell 200,000 tonnes of rubber from stocks and will focus on measures to increase domestic consumption to shore up prices, government officials said on Wednesday. Postponing the sale could take some pre

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Libor

China eyes gold market clout with new exchange

China must have a bigger influence on the global gold market being the top consumer of the precious metal, the head of state-backed Shanghai Gold Exchange (SGE) said, as the country targets establishing its own pricing benchmark. "We should have gold fixi

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Soyabeans hit two-week high

US soyabean futures jumped to a two-week high on Thursday as stronger-than-expected export sales re-ignited concerns about dwindling old-crop supplies. Corn futures advanced for the first time in four sessions, while wheat gained for a second straight ses

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Palm oil falls

Malaysian palm oil futures fell for a second session on Friday as easing crude prices reined in biodiesel-driven demand for the tropical oil, and as weakness in comparative soyoil markets dragged. Benchmark prices shot up to a near one-month high of 2,511

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

ICE cocoa hits near three-year peak

ICE cocoa futures hit a near three-year peak on Friday on strong chart signals and falling exchange stocks, and raw sugar saw the biggest one-day rout since February on weak demand for physical delivery ahead of the July contract's expiry on Monday. ICE a

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Gold falls in New York

Gold fell on Thursday as upbeat US jobless claims data and weaker crude oil prices sent prices below a two-month high hit earlier this week, and a lack of investment interest could further pressure the precious metal, traders said. Bullion fell as US cons

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Gold lower but still set for fourth week of gains

Gold edged lower on Friday yet was on course for a fourth straight week of gains as a lower dollar following weak US data limited the downside. US consumer spending rose less than expected in May, prompting economists to downgrade estimates for second-qua

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

US MIDDAY: soya retreats

US soyabean futures on Friday retreated from a two-week high reached the previous session as traders booked profits ahead of the release of key US crop reports. Wheat futures jumped after Canada said farmers had planted fewer acres of the crop than expect

Published 28 Jun, 2014 12:00am

Previous Day

Forex
World
Commodity

Currency	Rate
USD PKR Interbank Selling / Dec 4	277.97
USD PKR Interbank Buying / Dec 4	277.77
USD to Japanese Yen / Dec 4	150.37
USD to Swiss Franc / Dec 4	0.89
Pound Sterling to USD / Dec 4	1.27
Euro to USD / Dec 4	1.05

Stock	Volume
S&P 500 / Dec 3	6,049.87
Nasdaq / Dec 3	19,480.91
Dow Jones / Dec 3	44,705.53
India Sensex / Dec 4	80,956.33
Tokyo Nikkei / Dec 4	39,276.39
Hang Seng / Dec 4	19,742.46
FTSE 100 / Dec 4	8,328.12
Germany DAX 30 / Dec 4	20,195.75

Item	Value
Karachi Cotton PKR/37.32 KG / Dec 3	17,685
Crude Oil USD/Barrel / Dec 4	70.17
Gold 10 Grams PKR / Dec 4	235,940
Gold Spot USD/Ounce / Dec 4	2,644.45
Cotton US¢/pound / Dec 4	71.11
Petrol/Litre / Dec 5	252.10

Gainers
Losers
Leaders

Stock	Price
786 Invest Ltd / Dec 5 786 Investments Limited(786)	7.37 ▼ 0.00 (0.00%)
AL-Abbas Sugar / Dec 5 Al-Abbas Sugar Mills Limited(AABS)	627.86 ▼ 0.00 (0.00%)
Agro Allianz / Dec 5 Agro Allianz Limited(AAL)	16 ▼ 0.00 (0.00%)
AL-Abid Silk / Dec 5 Al-Abid Silk Mills Limited(AASM)	3.49 ▼ 0.00 (0.00%)
Ali Asghar / Dec 5 Ali Asghar Textile Mills Limited(AATM)	68.40 ▼ 0.00 (0.00%)
Allied Bank / Dec 5 Allied Bank Limited(ABL)	150.94 ▼ 0.00 (0.00%)
Abbott Lab. / Dec 5 Abbott Laboratories (Pakistan) Limited(ABOT)	1,123.10 ▼ 0.00 (0.00%)
Abson Ind. / Dec 5 Abson Industries Limited(ABSON)	2.50 ▼ 0.00 (0.00%)
Alfalah ETF. / Dec 5 Alfalah Consumer Index ETF.(ACIETF)	13.47 ▼ 0.00 (0.00%)

Stock	Price
786 Invest Ltd / Dec 5 786 Investments Limited(786)	7.37 ▲ 0.00 (0.00%)
AL-Abbas Sugar / Dec 5 Al-Abbas Sugar Mills Limited(AABS)	627.86 ▲ 0.00 (0.00%)
Agro Allianz / Dec 5 Agro Allianz Limited(AAL)	16 ▲ 0.00 (0.00%)
AL-Abid Silk / Dec 5 Al-Abid Silk Mills Limited(AASM)	3.49 ▲ 0.00 (0.00%)
Ali Asghar / Dec 5 Ali Asghar Textile Mills Limited(AATM)	68.40 ▲ 0.00 (0.00%)
Allied Bank / Dec 5 Allied Bank Limited(ABL)	150.94 ▲ 0.00 (0.00%)
Abbott Lab. / Dec 5 Abbott Laboratories (Pakistan) Limited(ABOT)	1,123.10 ▲ 0.00 (0.00%)
Abson Ind. / Dec 5 Abson Industries Limited(ABSON)	2.50 ▲ 0.00 (0.00%)
Alfalah ETF. / Dec 5 Alfalah Consumer Index ETF.(ACIETF)	13.47 ▲ 0.00 (0.00%)

Stock	Volume
Cnergyico PK / Dec 5 Cnergyico PK Limited(CNERGY)	246,707,903 ▲ 0.00
WorldCall Telecom / Dec 5 Worldcall Telecom Limited(WTL)	89,419,070 ▲ 0.00
Hascol Petrol / Dec 5 Hascol Petroleum Limited(HASCOL)	87,024,698 ▲ 0.00
Pak Elektron / Dec 5 Pak Elektron Limited(PAEL)	67,806,935 ▲ 0.00
Sui South Gas / Dec 5 Sui Southern Gas Company Limited(SSGC)	61,811,720 ▲ 0.00
Power Cement / Dec 5 Power Cement Limited(POWER)	58,501,362 ▲ 0.00
K-Electric Ltd. / Dec 5 K-Electric Limited(KEL)	56,938,645 ▲ 0.00
Pak Int.Bulk / Dec 5 Pakistan International Bulk Terminal(PIBTL)	56,115,997 ▲ 0.00
Pak Refinery / Dec 5 Pakistan Refinery Limited(PRL)	55,870,990 ▲ 0.00

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