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Honda Atlas, Pak Suzuki announce temporary shutdown of production plants

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  • Pak Suzuki’s motorcycle plant to continue operations.
  • Vehicle plant shutdown to occur on Oct 25-27. 
  • Honda Atlas to shut down from Oct 24-Oct 31. 

KARACHI: Honda Atlas Cars and Pak Suzuki Motor Company (PSMC), the two major auto manufacturers in the country, have announced a temporary shutdown of production plants because of an ongoing shortage of essential raw materials, The News reported on Thursday.

“Due to the shortage of inventory levels, the management of the company has decided to shut down the automobile plant from October 25, 2023, to October 27, 2023. However, the motorcycle plant will continue its operations,” said the PSMC, in a statement issued by its company secretary.

A similar announcement was also made by Honda Atlas Cars through their company secretary.

“The current level of inventory and parts shortages within the company’s supply chain has severely disrupted operations. As a result, the company is unable to continue production and, consequently, will halt its plant from October 24, 2023, to October 31, 2023,” said the statement.

The shutdown by the automotive giants mirrors a broader issue that has been affecting Pakistan’s automobile sector for more than a year. Shortages in inventory levels have driven a cycle of temporary shutdowns across the industry.

Recently, the Indus Motor Company Limited (IMC) made headlines when it announced that it would be closing its production plant for an entire month, extending the impact of these supply chain challenges even further.

IMC’s month-long shutdown emphasises the extensive and far-reaching impact these issues have had on Pakistan’s industrial landscape.

According to The News, the problem is not confined to automobile sector.

A wide range of industries, including auto parts manufacturers, and companies reliant on imported raw materials, have been in a similar predicament. This forces the businesses to resort to periodic shutdowns, further straining the supply chain.

The ongoing shortage of essential raw materials is predominantly attributed to the scarcity of foreign exchange reserves in Pakistan. This challenge has resulted in a difficult process of opening letters of credit (LCs), hampering the ability to import crucial components. 

As a consequence, the entire supply chain, from automobile manufacturers to their suppliers, faces severe disruptions, leaving them with no choice but to temporarily halt production.

Honda Atlas Cars and PSMC’s temporary shutdowns underscore the need to resolve supply chain issues for the stability and productivity of Pakistan’s automotive sector.

As per the publication, the stakeholders, along with the government, will need to work together to address the root causes and establish long-term solutions. 

Analysts are of the view that swift action and cooperative strategies are essential to mitigate these disruptions and pave the way for a robust and resilient automotive industry.

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With its second-largest surge ever, PSX approaches 114,000 points.

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Driven by renewed activity from both private and government financial institutions, the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) saw its second-largest rally in history on Monday.

The market regained many important levels in a single trading session as it rose with previously unheard-of momentum.

Intraday trading saw a top increase of 4,676 points, and the PSX’s benchmark KSE-100 Index gained 4,411 points to settle at 113,924 points. This impressive rebound demonstrated significant investor confidence by reestablishing the 100,000, 111,000, 112,000, and 113,000-point levels.

The market also saw the 114,000-point limit reestablished during the trading session.

The positive tendency was reflected when the market’s heavyweight shares touched its upper circuits. Among the most busiest trading sessions in recent memory, an astounding 85.78 billion shares worth a total of Rs55 billion were exchanged.

Experts credited the spike to heightened institutional investor activity and hope for macroeconomic recovery. Considered a major market recovery, the rally demonstrated the market’s tenacity and development potential.

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In interbank trade, the Pakistani rupee beats the US dollar.

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In the international exchange market, the US dollar has continued to weaken in relation to the Pakistani rupee.

The dollar fell to Rs278.10 from Rs278.17 at the beginning of interbank trading, according to currency dealers, a seven paisa loss.

In the meantime, there was a lot of turbulence in the stock market, but it recovered and moved into the positive zone. The KSE-100 index recovered momentum and reached 116,000 points after soaring 1,300 points.

Both currency and stock market swings, according to analysts, are a reflection of ongoing market adjustments and economic uncertainty.

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Phase II of CPEC: China-Pakistan Partnership Enters a New Era

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The cornerstone of economic cooperation between the two brothers and all-weather friends is still the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the initiative’s flagship project.

In contrast to reports of a slowdown, recent events indicate a renewed vigour and strategic emphasis on pushing the second phase of CPEC, known as CPEC Phase-2, according to the Ministry of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives.

According to the statement, this crucial stage seeks to reshape the foundation of bilateral ties via increased cooperation, cutting-edge technology transfer, and revolutionary socioeconomic initiatives.

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal is leading Pakistan’s participation in a number of high-profile gatherings in China, such as the 3rd Forum on China-Indian Ocean Region Development Cooperation in Kunming and the High-Level Seminar on CPEC-2 in Beijing.

His involvement demonstrates Pakistan’s commitment to reviving CPEC, resolving outstanding concerns, and developing a strong phase-2 roadmap that considers both countries’ long-term prosperity.

At the core of these interactions is China’s steadfast determination to turn CPEC into a strategic alliance that promotes development, progress, and connectivity.

Instead of being marginalised, CPEC is developing into a multifaceted framework with five main thematic corridors: the Opening-Up/Regional Connectivity Corridor, the Innovation Corridor, the Green Corridor, the Growth Corridor, and the Livelihood-Enhancing Corridor.

With the help of projects like these, the two countries will fortify their partnership, and CPEC phase-2 will become a model of global economic integration and collaboration that benefits not just China and Pakistan but the entire region.

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