Business

Gold price falls as international rate continues to fluctuate

Published

2 years ago

Farwa

Rate of gold declines by Rs1,800 per tola.
International rate down by $21 per ounce.
Price of silver remains unchanged.

The rate of gold continued to fluctuate in the international market Thursday, leading to a decline in the safe-haven bullion’s value in Pakistan.

According to the All Pakistan Sarafa Gems and Jewellers Association (APSGJA), the price of gold (24 carats) decreased by Rs1,800 per tola and Rs1,543 per 10 grams to settle at Rs236,000 and Rs202,332, respectively.

Separately, the international rate went down $21 to reach $1,961 per ounce.

International investors have been on edge as uncertainty remains over whether US Democrats and Republicans will be able to reach an 11th-hour agreement on raising the federal debt ceiling.

If the debt ceiling — which is currently capped at $31.4 trillion — is not raised, it would trigger the first-ever US default.

Gold’s value also declined internationally after Federal Reserve officials “generally agreed” that the need for more interest rate increases “had become less certain”, Reuters reported.

Gold, a non-yielding asset, tends to lose appeal in a high interest rate environment.

The gold rate has been volatile in the domestic market due to a number of factors, including economic and political turmoil, high inflation, and currency depreciation. People prefer to buy the yellow metal in such times as a safe investment and a hedge.

The rupee, which fell to an all-time low of Rs298.93 on May 11, closed at Rs285.74 per US dollar in the interbank market Thursday. It gained Rs1.39 or 0.49% against the US dollar, according to State Bank of Pakistan data.

The jewellers’ body also said that local gold was “overcost” by Rs5,000 per tola in Pakistan compared to the Dubai bullion market. This means that, at present, the Pakistani gold market is more expensive than the world market.

Data shared by the association showed the price of silver remained unchanged at Rs2,900 per tola and Rs2,486.28 per 10 grams, respectively.

Business

E&P Companies Will Invest $5 Billion in Pakistan’s Petroleum Industry

Published

2 days ago

Farwa

Over the next three years, local and foreign companies involved in Pakistan’s oil and gas exploration and production sector have shown a strong desire to invest more than $5 billion in the nation’s energy sector.

Recent changes to the Petroleum Policy and the implementation of an exclusive tight gas policy, which provide better incentives and a more investor-friendly regulatory framework, are credited with the increase in investor confidence.

These strategic changes are expected to boost domestic energy production, open up new avenues for growth, and draw large amounts of both domestic and foreign investment.

Business

With inflation slowing, the SBP is anticipated to lower the policy rate for the eighth time in a row.

Published

2 days ago

Farwa

Businesspeople anticipate another reduction in the policy rate when the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) releases the updated rate.

The interest rate for the upcoming two months will be announced by the central bank. It is still unclear if the rate will stay the same or be lowered to reflect stakeholder expectations.

According to experts, the policy rate will be lowered in order to further boost the nation’s economic sector.

Interest rates may be lowered for the seventh time in a row if the inflation rate declines significantly more than anticipated.

In its last six sessions, the MPC had cut the policy rate by 10 percent. In January 2025, it decreased the rate by one percent to 12pc.

12PC POLICY RATE

In January, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) announced cut in key policy rate by 100 basis points (bps) to 12 percent from 13pc in line with expectations of the business community.

The policy rate, which had been at 22 percent since June 2024, was slashed by 1,000 basis points to 12 percent.

The SBP governor said the decision was taken with careful consideration. “Although inflation is expected to decline next month (February), core inflation remains a pressing concern,” he stated.

Ahmed highlighted strong remittance inflows and robust export growth as key factors supporting the current account.