PTA is a bilateral agreement signed between two trading countries to trade certain products at reduced tariff and let go of them completely to ensure buyers of one country import from the other. Signing of PTA or FTA with any country will promote trade and foreign currency movement. The larger banks e.g. UBL, HBL , ABL, MCB and NBP are expected to lead the way with RMA arrangements to …

  Sialkot sports industry has been producing sporting goods for over a decade and is one of the industries through which Pakistan has gained global recognition. The industry initially commenced with production of sporting goods involving wood e.g. cricket bats, hockey sticks, tennis, badminton rackets etc. Over the years and influx of modern equipment, the Sialkot sports industry is now able to manufacture any product and in any material. The …

  Almost 40 percent of the world oil supply and price is controlled by the largest cartel in the world i.e. OPEC. Being an export commodity, GDP of exporting nations is defined through the price of oil, subsequently budgets and expeditions are finalized. It is in vested interest of OPEC nations to keep oil prices high. There have been numerous instances where OPEC has commented on price trends and claimed …

  The banking sector through CY13 faced tough challenges with external factors including law and order situation, political uncertainty, strikes causing closure of bank branches in distressed areas to name a few. SBP require banks to have minimum capital of PKR 10 billion by December 2014 which has been a challenge for few banks. The CAR for the banking industry was 17.1 percent in CY14 as compared to 14.9 percent …

  Pakistan Stock Market (KSE-100) 1990-2015 decreased to 35147.13 Index points in July 9, 2015 from 35,328.83 Index points in the previous trading day. Stock market in Pakistan averaged 7691.91 Index points from 1990 until 2015, reaching an all-time high of 35,537.69 Index points in July of 2015 and a record low of 538.89 Index points in June of 1990. Below is the latest graph showing impressive growth in the …

  With the positivity instilled with the current government, most segments of the economy are showing positive signs of growth. When talking to businessmen on market potential, most say that the sector which is the best choice for investments is the retail sector. Pakistan has population of 180 million people, and frankly, the only entertainment is food and shopping. The demand of both food and shopping is counter to the …

  Islamic finance – A market brief: Islamic finance based on principals of Shariah provides an alternate to conventional banking. Islamic banking industry size is estimated to be USD 400 billion with potential to grow at minimum 15 per cent to 20 per cent globally per year, much faster than conventional financial institutions. This has been the same trend over the last 5 years since 2008. Islamic Banking assets globally …

  Credit cards promote the concept of plastic money whereby a user can purchase any product or service without having to carry cash. Credit cards allow secure method of payment online. Large payments e.g. fridge, television, furniture, airline tickets, expenses on international travel are done through credit cards. Through the usage is quite prevalent in Western markets where credit cards have replaced currency altogether, in Pakistan credit cards are seen …

  The government has announced the budget for the year 2015-16 which is being met with mixed reviews. Some believe that the budget will increase inflation there by squeezing the middle class while others have their own opinion on each of the economic sectors. In addition, this year’s tax has brought in some of new sectors under the tax net. Summary of the budget for 2014-15 and key features with …

  Karachi is the financial capital of Pakistan with most businesses, banks, various companies in the financial sector calling Karachi home. Being the business hub for Pakistan, it is estimated that at least 50,000 people a month travel to Karachi from various small towns and cities seeking jobs. Karachi is also the epic centre for various construction activities both commercial and residential. Karachi accounts for 54 per cent of the …