Business

Pakistani rupee’s massive gains against dollar to be short-lived: Goldman Sachs

Published

1 year ago

Farwa

Market will continue to require a premium for Pakistani rupee ahead of elections, says analyst

Local currency staged remarkable comeback last month.
Appreciation of Pakistani rupee will likely be short-lived.
Risk remains amid possibility of unrest ahead of elections.

The recent massive appreciation in the value of Pakistani currency against the US dollar will fizzle out amid financing gaps, Bloomberg quoted Goldman Sachs Group Inc. as saying on Thursday.

The local currency staged a remarkable comeback from its record low earlier last month, becoming the world’s best-performing currency in September due to a crackdown launched by authorities against hoarders and currency smugglers.

“The recent appreciation of the Pakistani rupee will likely be short-lived, given soaring interest costs and only short-term arrangements with the International Monetary Fund and bilateral financing to support the external balance,” Goldman analysts led by Kamakshya Trivedi wrote in a Wednesday report.

“The market will continue to require a premium for Pakistan’s rupee ahead of elections.”

The rupee has surged almost 9% since late August, making it the best performing currency globally after Afghanistan’s afghani, as authorities cracked down on the illegal dollar trade.

But risk remains as investors brace for possible unrest as the nation prepares to hold national elections in the first few months of next year.

Inflows from exports and remittances also remain muted, making the nation more dependent on foreign aid from countries in the Middle East as well as China for dollar flows.

An IMF team is scheduled to visit Pakistan next week to review the nation’s economic performance ahead of a loan disbursement as part of its $3 billion bailout programme.

Analysts believed that the rupee is likely to trade in a narrow range of 275-285 per dollar until at least the next tranche of the IMF’s loan programme is finalised.

According to dealers, the currency recently lost ground against the greenback as a result of an increase in demand for dollars from importers, while exporters’ dollar sales slowed as they expected the rupee to settle at its current levels in the coming days.

Business

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

Published

2 days ago

Farwa

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.

Business

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

Published

1 week ago

Farwa

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.

Business

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

Published

1 week ago

Farwa

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.