The country's exports on month-on-month (MoM) basis have witnessed a 47.24 percent decline, from $1.814 billion to $957 million, during April 2020 against March 2020, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistic (PBS) said.
Keeping in view current stock market situation, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) are working on a key budget proposal for reducing capital gains tax (CGT) rates for two years on disposal of liste
The book building of Rs 200 billion Sukuk meant to partially clear energy sector circular debt will commence from May 15, 2020, a senior official of Power Division told Business Recorder. The book building, which was scheduled for May 4, 2020, has
The Red Cross on Tuesday launched what it said was the first global network of social media influencers to battle misinformation about the new coronavirus and spread lifesaving content about the pandemic.
The global death toll from the coronavirus pandemic topped a quarter of a million on Tuesday, with the US government predicting a further surge in fatalities as an international vaccine drive garnered $8 billion in pledges.
Nationwide death toll from Covid-19 has reached 514, while confirmed cases surged to 22,063 of which over 5,782 have recovered, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) said.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) would provide $305 million to Pakistan for social protection for the poor and public health emergency preparedness in the efforts to support the Covid-19 emergency relief services under the title "Emergency Assistance for
Pakistan has raised concerns with the United Arab Emirates that workers are returning home from the Gulf nation with high rates of Covid-19 and that crowded living conditions in the UAE may be helping the virus to spread, its foreign ministry said.
The Balochistan government has extended the ongoing lockdown for 15 more days in view of the mounting coronavirus cases across the province. Balochistan government Spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani said that the coronavirus is spreading at an alarming rate an
Germany's top court on Tuesday gave the ECB three months to justify bond purchases under its flagship stimulus programme or lose the Bundesbank as a participant, raising questions about both the scheme and the euro's future.
The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet which is scheduled to meet Wednesday (May 6) will approve conversion of Rs 136.5 billion debts of Power Holding Company Limited (PHPL) into public debt as per agreement with World Bank, sources in t
Finance Division is likely to transfer Rs 11.7 billion in NBP account to remit to Kuwait to avoid international default, well-informed sources in Petroleum Division told Business Recorder.
The Sugar Inquiry Commission has summoned Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) on Thursday (tomorrow) for presenting its viewpoint on the sugar scam worth billions of rupees, after allegedly five sugar dealers have offered to turn approvers, well-informed sourc
Pakistan Rupee appreciated by a slight margin on Tuesday in both interbank and open markets. INTER-BANK MARKET RATES: Pakistan Rupee recorded no change in buying rate against USD while it went up by 50 paisas for selling closing at 159.50 and 160 for buyi
The Supreme Court on Tuesday extending stay against the Peshawar High Court (PHC) impugned judgment, sought reply from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government about completion of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project.
Britain on Tuesday overtook Italy with the second-highest number of coronavirus deaths worldwide after the US, as countries accelerated plans to ease lockdowns aimed at halting the deadly pandemic.
The European Commission aims to intensify its scrutiny of states posing money-laundering risks, and is looking into creating a new body to help police financial crime and monitor banks more strictly, draft documents seen by Reuters show.
Islamabad High Court (IHC) Tuesday granted protective bail to former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in a reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against him for making an illegal appointment.
The Finance Ministry has initiated the process of hiring members of the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) for a period of three years and invited applications of professional persons.
US President Donald Trump urged China on Tuesday to be transparent about the origins of the novel coronavirus outbreak that has killed more than a quarter of a million people since it started in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year. Secretary of State
Sindh Information Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has launched People's Media Support Program (PMSP) under which all kind of relevant support would be provided to the media.
The National Assembly session would be held on Monday under strict adherence of health guidelines and SOPs for ensuring safety of the members and the staff due to Covid-19. The decision for holding National Assembly session on May 11 (Monday) at 3pm has b
The sales of Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) for the month of April 2020 stood at 1.07 million tons, down by 35 percent on year-on-year basis as compared to 1.65 million tons in the same month in 2019.
The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) on Tuesday informed the Sindh High Court (SHC) that issue of Industrial Support Package (ISP) does not fall under its purview, and it pertains to the federal government.
This is apropos a Business Recorder analysis "Crude estimations of SMEs survival" carried by the newspaper in its Analyses and Comments section the other day. It has argued, among other things, "Granted that the government does not have time for a
To reopen, or not to reopen with social distancing? That is the question haunting theatres and cinemas that were shuttered overnight by coronavirus lockdowns.
Just as Covid-19 may have killed the tech backlash (as reported in The Economist), it may have also killed the IMF backlash (on-going since August'19) in this country. The politicians, media, gurus, businessman and speculators are heaving a sigh of relief
When a federal state tries to manage its economy using a centrist financial system the result would certainly be no better than what Pakistan had experienced during its first 63 years leading to 2010 when the 7th National Finance Commission (NFC) Award wa
Annual reports put out by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on the state of human rights hold a mirror to this state and society. The image they portray is pretty disturbing. The latest report says Pakistan has failed to protect its most vuln
Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar was right when he observed that many thousands of people had died so far in Europe and the US yet they were 'relaxing their lockdowns to run their economies', implying that the same should be done in Pakistan de
Pakistan on Tuesday rejected Indian allegations relating to indigenous Kashmiri resistance, saying that attributing the recent incidents of this indigenous resistance to any alleged "infiltration" is a travesty.
To exchange views on the Covid-19 pandemic and its repercussions, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi held a telephonic conversation with Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah of the Sultanate of Oman.
SECP Chairman, Aamir Khan emphasized that in these challenging times the development of microfinance industry depends upon the resilience and risk management, achieved through quintessential pillars of liquidity-tapped through private capital and technolo
Sindh High Court on Tuesday issued notices to provincial Home Department and Inspector General of Police in a plea, challenging the home department's notification that restricted Youm-e-Ali processions in view of Corona virus pandemic.
Director General ISPR Major General Babar Iftikhar has warned that India's unchecked violations on the Line of Control are worsening the situation in region.
Senior leaders of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have said that due to low testing capacity in the province, the number of the Covid-19 patients is increasing.
With the number of Covid-19 positive cases rising in the federal capital and surrounding areas, the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration on Tuesday started dealing strictly with the violators who set aside the directives of closure of all shop
Pakistan summoned a senior Indian diplomat yet again on Tuesday, and lodged with him a strong protest over the continued unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian forces along the Line of Control (LoC).
"Enough is enough". The trading community has bravely faced the brunt of unprecedented corona lockdown but now they are unable to continue it any more.
The Lahore High Court on Tuesday directed the University of Health Sciences (UHS) to display on its website, final list of admissions made on upgraded seats of MBBS and BDS in private colleges.
The Lahore High Court on Tuesday directed the counsel of a petitioner Muhammad Hassan to produce computerized birth certificate of a Sikh woman by May 22 who married to the petitioner.
President of Korangi Association of Trade & Industry (KATI), Sheikh Umer Rehan, has urged Prime Minister Imran Khan to reduce electricity tariff to 30 percent as oil prices has been reduced locally and internationally.
In its budget proposal for the fiscal year 2020-21, the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has said that accelerated farm mechanization is an important element for accelerating growth in the agriculture sector.
A massive fire broke out at the 11th floor of a business centre on the I I Chundrigar Road here on Tuesday morning, however no loss of life was reported.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that 307 new cases of the coronavirus have been detected in the province while 11 more people died, taking the death toll to 148.
Chairman United Business Group (UBG) Sindh and former Senior Vice President of FPCCI, Khalid Tawab has expressed his concern over increase of 33% labor wages and other incentives by Karachi Dock Labor Board (KDLB) at Karachi Port Trust which has become ef
Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) has submitted its budget proposals to the federal government, urging authorities to consolidate all federal taxes, including income tax and levies like Workers Welfare Fund, Workers Profit Partic
A group of 193 Pakistanis, who were stranded in various parts of India due to the coronavirus and subsequent lockdown, were repatriated via Attari-Wagah border on Tuesday.
The newly-formed Corona Relief Tiger Force (CRTF) formed by Prime Minister Imran Khan in the battle against the coronavirus is facing serious challenges involving finances and logistics in the wake of no salary and transportation being provided to the vol
Getz Pharma under its "Care for Heroes" initiative to combat corona virus in healthcare facilities, is disinfecting over 8,000 clinics, 650 hospital wards and conducting free screening tests of more than 25,000 doctors across Pakistan.
Pakistan Railways is mulling restoration of passenger traffic operations from May 10 under certain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) introduced to ensure efficient and safe travel for commuters as well as train & railway staff in the wake of coronaviru
Ministry of National Food Security and Research has said wheat procurement drive is slow this year, suggesting that law enforcement agencies may be sensitized to curb hoarding and price hike.
An activist for thalassemia eradication from Pakistan, Ateeq-ur-Rehman, has suggested that a refinance facility for combating other diseases should be available and encouraged by the SBP to fight diseases like blood disorders, thalassemia, dengue, malaria
The federal government is set to finalize cash flow support plan for micro, small & medium enterprises (MSMEs) to disburse Rs 300 billion including Rs 12000 per head cash transfer to six million daily wagers, payment of six months electricity bills, and r
Sanofi Aventis Pakistan Limited (PSX: SAPL) was established in Pakistan in 1967 as Hoechst Pakistan, manufacturer of pharmaceuticals and specialty chemicals. After a number of changes of business, mergers and acquisitions, it stands today as Sanofi-Aventi
General Electric announced Monday it will cut an additional 10,000 jobs from its aviation sector as the coronavirus pandemic decimates the industry, forcing companies to cancel orders.
Despite keeping its borders open for goods shipments during the coronavirus pandemic, Canadian trade fell in March while its trade deficit widened to Can$1.4 billion (US$1 billion), according to data released Tuesday.
Malaysia's central bank on Tuesday slashed interest rates to their lowest level since the 2009 global financial crisis as the coronavirus pandemic batters the economy.
Indonesia's economy grew in the first quarter at its slowest pace for almost two decades, and economists warned Tuesday the coronavirus crisis would likely deal an even greater blow in the next three months.
Virgin Atlantic will cut over 3,000 jobs - around a third of staff - as the coronavirus pandemic grounds planes worldwide, the British carrier part-owned by tycoon Richard Branson announced Tuesday.
The US trade deficit increased by the most in more than a year in March as a record drop in exports offset a shrinking import bill, suggesting the novel coronavirus outbreak was upending the global flow of goods and services.
Sales of new cars in Britain plunged 97 percent in April, striking the lowest level since 1946, as coronavirus fallout slams the brakes on economic output, data revealed Tuesday.
Mexico's government thanked US President Donald Trump on Tuesday and called him a "friend" for providing support to help the country tackle the coronavirus pandemic.
The United States on Tuesday named a new ambassador to the European Union, after the previous envoy was sacked following his testimony in President Donald Trump's impeachment hearing.
Tajikistan's health minister was sacked on Tuesday, as coronavirus cases surged in the former Soviet republic. Nasim Olimzoda lost his job after the authorities spent weeks playing down the threat the country faced from coronavirus.
The global aviation body said Tuesday that the risk of catching COVID-19 on a plane was low and there was no need to leave the middle seat empty once the industry takes off again.
The Philippines' top broadcaster ABS-CBN was forced off air on Tuesday over a stalled operating licence renewal, drawing fresh accusations that the authorities are cracking down on press freedom.
An antibody that can stop the new coronavirus infecting cells in laboratory tests has been identified by researchers in the Netherlands, in what scientists say could help the development of therapies for COVID-19.
China on Tuesday successfully launched a new rocket and prototype spacecraft, state media said, in a major test of the country's ambitions to operate a permanent space station and send astronauts to the Moon.
Asia's naphtha crack plunged 68% on Monday to reach a two-week low of $11.13 a tonne as high volumes of western cargoes weighed while demand could slow this week due to holidays in key importing countries of China, South Korea and Japan.
Chicago corn futures ended lower on Monday, as rising tensions between Washington and Beijing raised concern about further demand risk, on top of coronavirus disruptions to biofuel and livestock feed markets.
European wheat hit a new 6-week low on Monday on easing concerns of the upcoming crop following dry Spring weather, but pared losses as US markets recovered slightly and helped by strong export demand.
The Karachi Port handled 70,380 tonnes of cargo comprising 65,739 tonnes of import cargo and 4,641 tonnes of export cargo including 2,151 loaded and empty containers during the last 24 hours ending at 0700 hours on Tuesday.
Traders are hopeful that very soon trading will resume on the cotton market as both provincial and federal governments had allowed different sectors to start their operations phase by phase.
Chicago soyabean futures dropped sharply on Monday as market worries about coronavirus disruptions to livestock feed markets were exasperated by sluggish exports and rising US-China tensions.
US natural gas futures rose on Monday on forecasts for cooler weather and more heating demand over the next two weeks than previously expected and a slowing of output as drillers shut oil wells in shale basins due to the 67% collapse in crude prices since
Australian shares closed higher on Tuesday, as upbeat sentiment following the government's plans to further ease coronavirus-led restrictions outweighed grim forecasts from the central bank's policy meet.
Most stock markets in the Middle East gained on Tuesday, driven by rising oil prices amid hopes for a recovery in traffic and fuel demand as countries began to ease coronavirus lockdown measures.
European stocks closed higher on Tuesday, shrugging off uncertainty over regional bond purchases as a swathe of positive earnings and an easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions in some countries caused some optimism.
Wall Street's main indexes jumped on Tuesday as a recovery in oil prices lifted battered energy stocks and a slew of countries eased coronavirus-induced restrictions in an attempt to revive their economies.
US stocks ended higher on Monday as increases in large tech and internet companies and oil price gains outweighed concerns sparked by fresh US-China tensions and downbeat sentiment from the annual meeting of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway.
Hong Kong shares closed higher on Tuesday after the Asian financial hub scaled back social distancing measures put in place to curb the spread of the pandemic, and as economies elsewhere also showed signs of re-opening businesses.
Most Southeast Asian stock markets closed higher on Tuesday, with Philippines gaining the most after President Rodrigo Duterte apologised for his "hurting words" about two tycoons associated with some of the biggest companies in the country.
A surge in big oil companies boosted Britain's FTSE 100 on Tuesday, with investors counting on a revival in economic activity as several countries emerged from coronavirus lockdowns.
Asian currencies were mostly firmer on Tuesday, as easing lockdowns in some parts of the world offset worries about rising tensions between China and the United States.
Sterling rebounded against the dollar on Tuesday as demand eased for the US currency on the back of improving risk sentiment in global markets, allowing the pound to recover some of its 1.5% loss this month.
The dollar rose for a third straight session against most major currencies on Tuesday, bolstered by US services data last month that was better than market expectations.
The euro weakened across the board on Tuesday after a German constitutional court ruled that the Bundesbank must stop buying government bonds if the European Central Bank cannot prove those purchases are needed.
The Punjab government has formed a 'working group' to formulate recommendations for short and long term policy to make the province self-sufficient in food sector.
The Anti-hoarding Ordinance should not be used as a tactic to pinch the business community, while business will also ensure that there is no artificial shortage of rice, edibles and other commodities.