News Archives for Business & Finance - 2026-02-02

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Business & Finance - 2026-02-02

Markets

Pakistan’s trade deficit rises 28% to $22bn in July-January

Trade balance stood at $17.19 billion in same period of previous fiscal year

Published 02 Feb, 2026 09:24pm

Companies

Warner Bros’ shareholders likely to hold vote on Netflix deal in March, reports

Warner Bros’ board unanimously rejected Paramount’s bid, labeling it 'inadequate' and 'not in the best interests' of shareholders

Published 02 Feb, 2026 08:12pm

Commodities

US to launch $12bn critical minerals stockpile to ease China reliance

The stockpile that Trump is set to announce is aimed at blunting this effect over time

Published 02 Feb, 2026 08:09pm

Stocks

Most Gulf bourses gain on signs of de-escalation between US and Iran

Saudi Arabia’s benchmark stock index rebounded 1.4%

Published 02 Feb, 2026 06:21pm

Stocks

Sri Lankan shares end lower as financial, industrial stocks drag

CSE All-Share index dropped 0.55% to 23,681.68

Published 02 Feb, 2026 06:12pm

Markets

Rupee registers marginal gain against US dollar

Currency settles at 279.76 against greenback

Updated 02 Feb, 2026 09:32pm

Markets

Disney posts better-than-expected quarterly results, driven by theme parks

Net profit reached $2.48 billion, down 6 percent year-on-year

Published 02 Feb, 2026 05:32pm

Markets

Inflation in Pakistan clocks in at 5.8% in January 2026

On month-on-month basis, Consumer Price Index increases by 0.4%

Updated 02 Feb, 2026 08:45pm

Financial

India 10-year bond yield ends at highest in over 1 year on budget supply shock

Benchmark 10-year 6.48% 2035 bond yield settled at 6.7662%

Published 02 Feb, 2026 04:59pm

Business & Finance

APTMA urges FBR to adjust super tax against pending refunds

APTMA Chairman Kamran Arshad says the export-oriented textile industry is facing serious liquidity constraints due to a prolonged slowdown in export orders

Published 02 Feb, 2026 04:54pm

Energy

Oil prices fall sharply on US-Iran de-escalation

Brent crude futures were down $3.34, or 4.8%, at $65.98 per barrel

Published 02 Feb, 2026 04:52pm

Commodities

Copper extends retreat from record, China data helps steady market

Benchmark three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange tumbled as much as 5.6% during Asian trading

Published 02 Feb, 2026 04:45pm

Companies

Bajaj Housing posts higher profit on steady loan growth

The company’s assets under management rose 23% year-on-year to 1.33 trillion Indian rupees

Published 02 Feb, 2026 04:40pm

Stocks

Oracle shares fall as investors assess up to $50 billion AI funding plan

Oracle said it aims to meet the funding target through a roughly even mix of equity and debt

Published 02 Feb, 2026 04:35pm

Business & Finance

Highnoon Laboratories approves plan to buy another company

Highnoon Laboratories Limited announced on Monday that it had approved a “potential acquisition of a target company,...

Published 02 Feb, 2026 04:28pm

Forex

Indian rupee shored up by RBI intervention, swaps cushion liquidity as bonds sell off

Indian rupee rose 0.5% to end the session at 91.5125 per dollar

Published 02 Feb, 2026 04:15pm

Companies

Hyundai Motor India misses quarterly profit view on rising raw material, labour costs

Rising costs of key raw materials have taken the sheen off a strong quarter for Indian carmakers

Published 02 Feb, 2026 04:03pm

Stocks

Reliance leads partial recovery in Indian stocks from budget day selloff

Nifty 50 rose 1.06% to 25,088.4, while the BSE Sensex added 1.17% to 81,666.46

Published 02 Feb, 2026 03:57pm

Energy

Indian Oil, Vitol venture talks hit snag over some terms, sources say

IOC was expecting the proposed joint venture to handle a fraction of its overall imports

Published 02 Feb, 2026 03:54pm

Business & Finance

Dewan Cement announces chairman, CEO

Says appointments to be effective February 2

Published 02 Feb, 2026 02:34pm

Business & Finance

Public holiday: PSX to remain closed on February 5

Country will observe Kashmir Day

Published 02 Feb, 2026 02:25pm

Stocks

European shares fall as commodities-linked stocks slide

The pan-European STOXX 600 fell 0.4%

Published 02 Feb, 2026 01:55pm

Energy

Wafi Energy eyes up to $100mn investment in Pakistan over next 2–3 years

Investments aimed at strengthening supply resilience of the energy sector in Pakistan.

Updated 02 Feb, 2026 09:57pm

Markets

Snapchat blocks 415,000 underage accounts in Australia

As of the end of January, Snapchat said it had blocked or disabled 415,000 Snapchat accounts in Australia belonging to under-16s

Published 02 Feb, 2026 12:13pm

Stocks

Miners pull Australian shares to near 2-week low as metals rally loses shine

The benchmark closed 0.7% lower on Friday

Published 02 Feb, 2026 12:02pm

Mutual Funds

Japanese bonds fall on bets election win for PM Takaichi to usher in more stimulus

The 20-year JGB yield climbed 2.5 basis points (bps) to 3.2%

Published 02 Feb, 2026 12:00pm

Markets

Hyundai Motor did not exercise option to buy back Russian auto factory

Along with its affiliate Kia, Hyundai was once the biggest foreign carmaker in Russia

Published 02 Feb, 2026 11:54am

Forex

Aussie, kiwi wobble as Warsh’s Fed appointment lifts US dollar

The Aussie hit a one-week low of $0.6923 before steadying at $0.6970

Published 02 Feb, 2026 11:52am

Stocks

South Korean shares fall 2% as investors weigh Trump’s Fed chair choice

The benchmark KOSPI was down 112.87 points, or 2.16%, at 5,111.49 by 0155

Published 02 Feb, 2026 11:45am

Markets

Asia’s factory activity expands on solid global demand

South Korea's PMI also rose to 51.2 in January from 50.1 in December to mark the highest reading since August 2024

Published 02 Feb, 2026 11:30am

Commodities

Indonesia 2025 rice output up 13% on good weather, stats bureau says

Rice output last year stood at 34.69 million metric tons

Published 02 Feb, 2026 11:26am

Commodities

Iron ore falls as stocks climb, China steel mills finish restocking

The most-traded May iron ore contract on China's Dalian Commodity Exchange fell 0.63% to 788 yuan a metric ton

Published 02 Feb, 2026 11:24am

Markets

Chinese carmaker BYD’s shares slump on weakening sales

BYD’s Hong Kong-listed shares dropped 7.8% to HK$90.10, the lowest since February 3, 2025

Published 02 Feb, 2026 11:22am

Commodities

Indonesia’s 2025 palm oil exports volume at 23.61 million metric tons

The bureau's data excludes palm kernel oil, oleochemicals and biodiesel

Published 02 Feb, 2026 11:20am

Commodities

Indonesia’s coal exports down 3.66% in 2025, statistics bureau says

The shipments were worth $24.48 billion

Published 02 Feb, 2026 11:17am

Mutual Funds

Philippines awards $642 million in T-bills

BTr awards 37.8 billion Philippine pesos ($641.95 million), above the 27 billion pesos programme

Published 02 Feb, 2026 11:15am

Commodities

Copper extends decline from record high as investors shift to risk-off positioning

The most-active copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange slumped 7.60% to 100,110 yuan

Published 02 Feb, 2026 11:13am

Business & Finance

Hascol Petroleum receives NBP offer for restructuring of financing facilities

Says Board of Directors will review offer letter

Published 02 Feb, 2026 11:13am

Markets

Indonesia’s inflation at 3.55% in January, below forecast

The January rate accelerated from 2.92% in December

Published 02 Feb, 2026 11:11am

Markets

India’s factory growth improves slightly in January, PMI shows

The HSBC India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), compiled by S&P Global

Published 02 Feb, 2026 11:09am

Markets

Indonesia reports $2.52 billion trade surplus in December, above forecast

Exports rose 11.64% annually in December to reach $26.35 billion

Published 02 Feb, 2026 11:07am

Markets

India’s 2026/27 budget shows slowing pace of fiscal consolidation, says Fitch

In its 2026/27 budget, the government will target a debt-to-GDP ratio of 55.6%

Published 02 Feb, 2026 11:02am

Commodities

Soybean futures fall on ample global supply, firmer dollar

The most-active soybean contract on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) was down 0.8% at $10.55-3/4 a bushel

Published 02 Feb, 2026 10:58am

Mutual Funds

India bonds sell off on government’s record borrowing plan

The benchmark 6.48% 2035 bond yield jumped 8 basis points to 6.78% on Monday

Published 02 Feb, 2026 10:57am

Stocks

Nikkei slides on tech, resource sell-off despite weaker yen

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Index slipped 0.6% to 52,989.99

Published 02 Feb, 2026 10:53am

Stocks

Hong Kong, China stocks drop amid commodity price rout, signs of China economic weakness

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index dropped 2.4% by the lunch break

Published 02 Feb, 2026 10:50am

Forex

China’s yuan eases from 32-month peak, firmer-than-expected fix caps losses

The People's Bank of China (PBOC) set the midpoint at 6.9695 per US dollar

Published 02 Feb, 2026 10:49am

Forex

Risk-off pressure keeps Indian rupee knocking on 92 handle, RBI looms

The 1-month non-deliverable forward indicated the rupee will open in the 91.94-91.99 range versus the US dollar

Published 02 Feb, 2026 10:47am

Stocks

KSE-100 closes nearly 900 points higher after volatile trading

Benchmark index settles at 185,057.83

Updated 02 Feb, 2026 06:29pm

Stocks

India equity benchmarks seen flat at open, sentiment subdued after budget

Gift Nifty futures were trading at 24,869.5 points

Published 02 Feb, 2026 08:03am

Forex

Dollar firm as investors mull a Fed under Warsh; yen back under the spotlight

Sterling was down 0.05% to $1.3680, while the dollar index steadied at 97.22 after jumping 1% on Friday

Published 02 Feb, 2026 07:59am

Stocks

Shares slip in Asia as metals melt, earnings loom

The jitters saw MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan opens new tab sink 1.7%, while South Korea shed 2.2%

Published 02 Feb, 2026 07:55am

Bullion Rate

Gold near two-week low ahead of increases in CME precious metals margins

Spot gold was down 3.3% at $4,703.27 per ounce
Spot silver fell 5% to $80.28 an ounce
- Spot platinum lost 4.1% to $2,074.70 per ounce
- palladium shed 3.3% to $1,642.35

Updated 02 Feb, 2026 12:15pm

Pakistan

Nationwide outsourcing drive: Private firms to manage highway commercial rents

ISLAMABAD: The National Highway Authority (NHA) initiated a major policy shift by deciding to outsource the...

Published 02 Feb, 2026 07:34am

Business & Finance

‘Growing economic stability boosts global investors trust’

ISLAMABAD: The growing economic stability and reforms initiatives have further strengthened global investors trust ...

Published 02 Feb, 2026 07:22am

Companies

Fauji Fertilizer announces financial results for 2025

KARACHI: Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited (FFC) has announced its financial results for the year ended December 31,...

Updated 02 Feb, 2026 09:15am

Pakistan

ADB delegation reviews construction of STP project

PESHAWAR: A delegation of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) mission visited Mardan to review the construction...