Tag: Rise

  • After five days of losses, British stocks holding firm

    After five days of losses, British stocks holding firm

    A day after economic slowdown fears dragged the major British stocks to their sixth straight session of losses, UK equities stabilised on Tuesday, with some positive momentum from financial sectors and some excellent earnings announcements.

    By 0712 GMT, the FTSE 100 had up 0.6 per cent, with shares in British bank HSBC up 2.6 per cent providing the biggest boost to the blue-chip index.

    Following volatile crude prices, oil majors BP Plc and Shell Plc climbed 1.5 per cent and 0.8 per cent, respectively.

    After finishing at its weakest level in more than three months on Monday, the domestically focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index gained 0.7 per cent. Paragon Banking increased by 4.7 per cent after raising its expectations for 2022 and indicating robust new lending growth.

    FirstGroup jumped 1.2 per cent when the transportation company reported a higher yearly profit and restarted dividend payments, as passenger numbers on its buses increased after COVID-19 limitations were relaxed.

    Crest Nicholson rose 6.1 per cent after projecting an adjusted profit before tax of between 135 and 140 million pounds for fiscal year 2022. In 2021, the housebuilder made an adjusted profit of 107.2 million pounds.

  • Pakistani rupee crashes to historic low of Rs194 against US dollar

    Pakistani rupee crashes to historic low of Rs194 against US dollar

    During the trading session on Monday, the Pakistani rupee (PKR) maintained its declining trend, touching Rs194, its worst rate versus the US dollar. At the interbank, the greenback strengthened by Rs1.47 during the trading hours.

    The General Secretary of the Exchange Companies Association of Pakistan, Zafar Paracha said that the greenback climbed by Rs11.07 since the new government took government, while debt has increased by Rs1,400 billion due to the disparity.

    Pakistani currency lost 3.1 per cent of its value against the US dollar in the previous week in the interbank market, with Pakistan’s currency hitting new record lows to end the week at Rs192.53, its worst closing in history.

    Read more: Pakistani Rupee crashes to a record low against US dollar 

    The local currency fell in value across the board as concerns about the economy, declining foreign currency reserves, and worsening trade imbalance intensified. Concerns over the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme have also caused fear and speculation in the market.

  • Pakistan’s foreign currency reserves down by $328 million

    Pakistan’s foreign currency reserves down by $328 million

    State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on April 28, revealed that the central bank’s foreign exchange reserves fell by 3 per cent on a weekly basis.

    The central bank’s foreign currency reserves were $10,558.2 million on April 23, a $328 million decrease from the previous day’s total of $10,885.7 million. according to the SBP, this decline was caused by external debt and other payments.

    Pakistan’s total liquid foreign currency reserves, comprising net reserves held by banks other than the SBP, were $16,668.2 million. Banks held a total of $6,110 million in net reserves.

    SBP’s foreign exchange reserves reached an all-time high of $20.15 billion in the week ending August 27, 2021, after Pakistan received a general allocation of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) worth $2,751.8 million from the IMF on August 24.

    Pakistan bought $2.5 billion using Eurobonds on March 30, 2021, by offering attractive interest rates to lenders in order to enhance foreign exchange reserves.

    Read more: All banks to remain open this Saturday

    On July 9, 2019, it received the first loan amount of $991.4 million from the IMF, which helped to boost reserves. The IMF released the second loan tranche of approximately $454 million in late December 2019.

  • Pakistani rupee records impressive gains against US Dollar, highest single-day gain

    Pakistani rupee records impressive gains against US Dollar, highest single-day gain

    In the intra-day trade on Friday, the Pakistani rupee (PKR) gained an impressive Rs3.5 against the US dollar, the highest single-day gain in two years after the Supreme Court (SC) pronounced the National Assembly (NA) deputy speaker order unconstitutional and restored the NA.

    The US dollar is currently trading at Rs185, as per foreign currency dealers, after weakening Rs3.5 versus the local currency in early trade. The USD is currently trading for above Rs186 on the open market.

    On Thursday, the rupee concluded at Rs188.18 against the USD in the interbank market.

    Consequently, the Pakistan Stock Exchange’s (PSX) benchmark KSE-100 index, reversed its downtrend shortly after starting on Friday and surpassed the 44,000 mark, a day after the Supreme Court of Pakistan annulled the deputy speaker’s decision against a no-confidence motion.

    Considering the trading which continued at 44, 198 on the Pakistan Stock Exchange, the KSE-100 benchmark index gained 411 points.

    The stock market has been under pressure since April 4, when it crumbled, losing over 900 points amid Pakistan’s ongoing political crisis, which arose after the National Assembly deputy speaker declared Prime Minister Imran Khan’s no-confidence resolution unconstitutional.

    SBP’s rate increase of 250 basis points and establishment of cash margins on 177 commodities is a marker that the economic system is in a slump and that prior initiatives were inadequate. This protective approach will aid in limiting the import of certain products, consequently bolstering the balance of payments.