News Archives for Business & Finance - 2026-02-26

<<>>

Business & Finance - 2026-02-26

Business & Finance

11 new exploration blocks awarded with $31mn investment commitment

Of the 11 blocks, eight are located in Balochistan, two in Sindh and one in Punjab

Published 26 Feb, 2026 10:44pm

Money & Banking

European Central Bank books third straight annual loss

ECB lost 1.25 billion euros ($1.47 billion) last year, although this was sharply down from an all-time shortfall of 7.9 billion euros in 2024

Published 26 Feb, 2026 09:56pm

Markets

Baidu posts quarterly revenue fall despite AI bright spots

Beijing-based internet titan hit hard by slump in consumption in world's second-largest economy

Published 26 Feb, 2026 09:46pm

Stocks

Healthcare, industrials lift Sri Lankan shares higher

CSE All Share index settled up 0.33% at 23,781.23

Published 26 Feb, 2026 08:28pm

Stocks

Major Gulf markets ease as investors await US-Iran developments

Saudi Arabia’s benchmark stock index dropped 1.3%

Published 26 Feb, 2026 08:22pm

Stocks

Wall St eyes flat open as Nvidia’s strong results draw muted reaction

Dow E-minis were up 110 points, or 0.22%

Published 26 Feb, 2026 08:17pm

Stocks

Investor count surpasses 500,000 at Pakistan Stock Exchange

Good returns and growth trend agree new people to join investor community at bourse, NCCPL CEO Naveed Qazi says

Updated 26 Feb, 2026 10:41pm

Markets

China’s Baidu revenue falls 4% as AI cloud growth fails to offset ad weakness

China’s largest search engine operator Baidu reported 4% revenue drop for its December quarter on Thursday, as...

Published 26 Feb, 2026 07:55pm

Technology

OpenAI to make London its biggest research hub outside US

Technology minister Liz Kendall said OpenAI’s expansion in London was a 'huge vote of confidence'

Published 26 Feb, 2026 07:48pm

Markets

Indian bonds fall ahead of debt auction, growth data

Benchmark 6.48% 2035 bond yield ended at 6.6943%

Published 26 Feb, 2026 07:44pm

South Asia

India’s federal agency opens second criminal case against Anil Ambani, Reliance Communications

The account books of Reliance Communications 'were manipulated and irregularities concealed'

Published 26 Feb, 2026 07:41pm

Business & Finance

SBP-held foreign exchange reserves rise $16mn to $16.21bn

Country's total liquid reserves stand at $21.41 billion

Published 26 Feb, 2026 05:45pm

Commodities

Copper eases from two-week high as rising stocks temper demand optimism

Benchmark three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange was down 0.1% to $13,304 per metric ton

Published 26 Feb, 2026 05:18pm

Commodities

Palm tracks Dalian, Chicago rivals lower; firm currency weigh

Benchmark palm oil contract for May delivery on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange lost 48 ringgit, or 1.18%, to 4,005 ringgit a metric ton

Published 26 Feb, 2026 05:00pm

Forex

Indian rupee ends a tad higher, interbank paying interest boosts forward premiums

Indian rupee closed at 90.9050 per U.S. dollar

Published 26 Feb, 2026 04:57pm

Stocks

Indian benchmarks end flat; HDFC Bank counters PSU banks, pharma gains

Nifty 50 edged up 0.06% to 25,496.55 and the BSE Sensex shed 0.03% to 82,248.61

Published 26 Feb, 2026 04:51pm

Financial

India revamps mutual fund rule book, opens room for higher gold and silver exposure

Equity mutual funds have drawn inflows of 12.02 trillion Indian rupees in the last five years

Published 26 Feb, 2026 04:46pm

Companies

CCP approves Fauji Cement, KAPCO acquisition of Attock Cement

The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has approved the proposed acquisition of Attock Cement Pakistan Limited...

Published 26 Feb, 2026 03:36pm

Money & Banking

Banks branches to remain open on Feb 28 to facilitate taxpayers

On the request of the Federal Board of Revenue, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has decided that branches of all...

Published 26 Feb, 2026 03:28pm

Business & Finance

Ufone-Telenor merger nears completion as 5G spectrum auction approaches

Govt targeting more than $634 million in potential revenue from the process

Published 26 Feb, 2026 03:11pm

Exchange

Rupee records gain against US dollar

Domestic currency settles at 279.50 against greenback

Updated 26 Feb, 2026 06:41pm

Energy

HUBCO’s Gharo plant set to come online in second half of 2026, eyes 25,000 vehicles annually

The IPP is also planning to expand its electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure

Published 26 Feb, 2026 02:49pm

Commodities

Gold price per tola drops by Rs700 in Pakistan

International rate of gold declines by $7 to reach $5,178 per ounce

Updated 26 Feb, 2026 05:47pm

Companies

Invest Capital Investment Bank announces key positions

Discloses in a notice to the Pakistan Stock Exchange

Published 26 Feb, 2026 01:52pm

Stocks

SECP tightens Shariah criteria, aligns Islamic screening with global benchmarks

Under the revised criteria, a Shariah compliance rating mechanism has been introduced

Published 26 Feb, 2026 01:44pm

Energy

Mughal Energy 36.5MW plant moves toward commercial operations

Mughal Energy Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mughal Iron & Steel Industries Limited, said on Thursday it...

Published 26 Feb, 2026 01:15pm

Companies

Pakistan’s Citi Pharma targets real estate growth with new subsidiary

CPHL shall now formally proceed with the incorporation of the REIT Management Company

Published 26 Feb, 2026 11:23am

Forex

Australia, NZ dollars firm, A$ at fresh tops on yen and euro

Markets imply around an 80% chance the Reserve Bank of Australia will raise its 3.85% cash rate in May

Published 26 Feb, 2026 11:22am

Stocks

Australian shares cross 9,200 level as miners, healthcare rally

The S&P/ASX 200 index rose 0.5% to 9,171.80

Published 26 Feb, 2026 11:20am

Stocks

Nikkei breaches 59,000 after early rate hike prospect wanes, Nvidia results

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Index rose 1.2% to 59,295.93 in early trading

Published 26 Feb, 2026 11:18am

Forex

Yuan strengthens past 6.85 level against dollar despite PBOC’s caution

The yuan strengthened past the key 6.85 level against the dollar to 6.8430

Published 26 Feb, 2026 11:07am

Commodities

Copper eases after touching two-week high

The most-traded copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange dipped 0.02% to 102,100 yuan ($14,924.06) a metric ton

Published 26 Feb, 2026 11:05am

Markets

Toyota plans around $19 billion share sale by financial institutions, sources say

The sale will likely total around 3 trillion yen but could be larger depending on the willingness of shareholders to sell, the sources said

Published 26 Feb, 2026 10:42am

Commodities

Soybeans hit three-month high on strong demand, wheat under pressure

The most-active soybean contract on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) was trading 0.2% higher at $11.67-3/4 a bushel

Published 26 Feb, 2026 10:32am

Stocks

China stocks drift lower as investors await key policy signals

The Shanghai Composite index was down 0.1% at 4,144.08 points, surrendering its opening-hour gains

Published 26 Feb, 2026 10:11am

Companies

Supernet Limited merges into Supernet Technologies Limited following SHC sanction

Following the merger’s effectiveness, all assets, liabilities, rights, and obligations of Supernet Limited have been vested in STL

Published 26 Feb, 2026 10:07am

Stocks

Buying returns to bourse as KSE-100 gains nearly 2.6%

Valuations at PSX have become quite attractive as rollover pressure eases, say analysts

Updated 26 Feb, 2026 06:43pm

Stocks

Indian shares set to open higher, tracking Asian peers

The Gift Nifty futures were trading at 25,676 points

Published 26 Feb, 2026 08:44am

Forex

Under-pressure Indian rupee to draw support from yuan-led lift to Asia FX

The 1-month non-deliverable forward indicated the rupee will open in the 90.86-90.88 range versus the US dollar, having settled at 90.9475 on Wednesday

Published 26 Feb, 2026 08:42am

Bullion Rate

Gold gains on softer dollar; Iran-US talks in focus

Spot gold was up 0.3% at $5,183.85 per ounce
US gold futures for April delivery were down 0.5% at $5,200.50

Updated 26 Feb, 2026 10:29am

Stocks

Asia shares rise in relief rally as Nvidia beats the street

That helped propel Japan’s Nikkei to a record high early in the session, while South Korea’s KOSPIwas up 2%

Published 26 Feb, 2026 08:34am

Forex

Dollar slips as Nvidia buoys investor hopes in absence of tariff news

Bitcoin extended losses, and was last down 1.0% at $68,218.64

Updated 26 Feb, 2026 10:29am

Energy

Oil prices slip about 1.5% on high US crude stocks and US-Iran positivity

Brent crude futures were down 95 cents, or 1.3%, at $69.90 a barrel
WTI futures lost $1.06, or 1.6%, to $64.36

Updated 26 Feb, 2026 07:37pm

Business & Finance

Mostaqur Rahman appointed Bangladesh cenbank head

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s new government appointed entrepreneur and financial governance specialist Mostaqur Rahman as...