News Archives for Business & Finance - 2026-05-21

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Business & Finance - 2026-05-21

Business & Finance

SBP-held forex reserves jump above $17bn on IMF inflows, Panda Bonds

Total liquid foreign exchange reserves stand at $22.588 billion

Published 21 May, 2026 10:11pm

Business & Finance

Pakistan, Germany sign €40.5mn deal for climate, energy, and social projects

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit to provide financial, technical support for launch of nine new development projects across Pakistan

Updated 22 May, 2026 02:28pm

Markets

10th IPO of the year: Sitara Petroleum Service Limited listed on PSX

Sitara Petroleum Service Limited made a landmark debut on the Pakistan Stock Exchange, raising Rs4.8 billion in one of the nation's largest private sector IPOs, showcasing robust investor confidence.

Published 21 May, 2026 08:47pm

Stocks

Gulf shares rise on Iran deal hopes, firmer oil prices

Saudi Arabia’s benchmark stock index climbed 0.4%

Published 21 May, 2026 08:27pm

Stocks

Wall St slips as oil jumps on renewed Mideast concerns

Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 24.51 points, or 0.05%, to 49,987.34

Published 21 May, 2026 07:39pm

Companies

Indian bulk buyers shift to retail pumps for cheaper diesel, straining supplies

Retail price of a litre of diesel is 91.58 Indian rupees in New Delhi

Published 21 May, 2026 07:34pm

Markets

India's markets regulator proposes changes to price discovery rules for IPO listing

SEBI suggested a shift towards a more 'realistic' and market-linked base price for re-listed stocks

Published 21 May, 2026 07:30pm

Commodities

Asia rice: India, Vietnam see rise in export rates as demand firms

India’s 5% broken parboiled variety was quoted this week at $336-$343 per metric ton

Published 21 May, 2026 07:08pm

Financial

India bonds end volatile session lower as rate hike bets rise

Benchmark 6.48% 2035 bond yield settled 3.7 basis point higher at 7.1134%

Published 21 May, 2026 06:46pm

Stocks

Sri Lankan shares rise on broad-based sectoral gains

CSE All Share index settled up 0.21% at 21,833.77

Published 21 May, 2026 06:30pm

Companies

India's Life Insurance Corp posts quarterly profit rise on strong retail demand

The insurer’s net profit rose to 234.20 billion Indian rupees for the three months ended March 31

Published 21 May, 2026 05:50pm

Middle East

No full Hormuz flows until first half of 2027, UAE's oil giant says

“Iran establishes de facto control over the waterway, a chokepoint for about a fifth of the world’s oil supply

Published 21 May, 2026 04:54pm

Commodities

Copper retreats on slow progress of U.S.-Iran peace efforts

Benchmark three-month copper on the LME lost 0.9% to $13,535 a metric ton

Published 21 May, 2026 04:41pm

Commodities

Palm drops over 2% as weak export demand, crude oil

Dalian’s most-active soyoil contract fell 0.97%

Published 21 May, 2026 04:38pm

Companies

WeWork India posts higher quarterly profit as flexible workspace demand surges

Revenue from operations rises 29% year-on-year to 6.96 billion rupees

Published 21 May, 2026 04:32pm

Stocks

Indian shares finish flat as Middle East uncertainty drags on

Nifty 50 fell 0.02% to 23,654.70 and the BSE Sensex shed 0.18% to 75,183.36

Published 21 May, 2026 04:28pm

Forex

Indian rupee shored up by firm central bank intervention but oil risks linger

Indian rupee closed at 96.20, up 0.6% from its close at 96.82

Published 21 May, 2026 04:25pm

Companies

India hiring tilts toward contracts as AI prompts workforce rethink, TeamLease says

Firms across sectors are slowing hiring and reassessing headcount needs as they experiment with AI-led automation

Published 21 May, 2026 04:21pm

Business & Finance

PSX raises Rs76.3bn for Ministry of Finance in sixth Hybrid Sukuk auction

Pakistan Stock Exchange Limited (PSX) successfully raised Rs76.29 billion for the Ministry of Finance through the...

Published 21 May, 2026 04:14pm

Exchange

Rupee gains further ground against US dollar

Settles at 278.55 against greenback

Updated 21 May, 2026 07:33pm

Companies

UDLI approves purchase of two DHA Karachi plots for Rs65mn

UDL International Limited (UDLI) announced on Thursday that it had approved the purchase of two open plots of land,...

Published 21 May, 2026 03:48pm

Budgets

Pakistan plans tougher enforcement as FY27 tax target seen at Rs15.3tn, says brokerage house

With the budget for fiscal year 2026-27 (FY27) just around the corner, Pakistan’s tax collection target is likely to...

Published 21 May, 2026 03:09pm

Technology

Gilgit-Baltistan moves closer to 5G launch

Secures federal approval for 5G test trials

Published 21 May, 2026 03:03pm

Commodities

Gold price per tola gains Rs5,000 in Pakistan

Gold prices in Pakistan increased on Thursday in line with their gain in the international market. In the local...

Updated 21 May, 2026 08:00pm

Forex

South African rand dips as investors monitor US-Iran talks, mull inflation spike

The rand traded at 16.5225 against the dollar , about 0.4% weaker than its previous close

Published 21 May, 2026 01:44pm

Stocks

European equities ease as investors await Mideast peace updates

The pan-European STOXX 600 was down 0.2% at 618.79 points

Published 21 May, 2026 01:24pm

Technology

BankIslami launches Raast QR payments in cattle markets across Pakistan

BankIslami's 'aik' enables Raast QR payments in cattle markets for Eid-ul-Azha 2026, boosting SBP's Go-Cashless drive

Published 21 May, 2026 01:21pm

Energy

Pakistan invites Kuwait to invest in ports, energy logistics projects

Kuwait invited to explore projects linked to the storage and handling of pol products

Published 21 May, 2026 11:39am

Stocks

South Korea's KOSPI jumps 6% after Samsung reaches tentative deal with union

The benchmark KOSPI was up 476.46 points, or 6.61%, at 7,685.41

Published 21 May, 2026 11:36am

Forex

Thai baht/US dollar weaker on Thursday

The baht was 0.14% lower at 32.61 versus the dollar, after trading in a range of 32.535 to 32.660

Published 21 May, 2026 11:22am

Forex

Yuan hovers near week high on firm fixing, Iran peace hopes

The yuan strengthened to as far as 6.7929 against the dollar, the strongest since May 14

Published 21 May, 2026 11:12am

Commodities

Chicago corn falls amid favourable US weather

Wheat fell, while soybeans were almost flat

Published 21 May, 2026 10:53am

Mutual Funds

India bonds reverse gains as report RBI mulling rate hike outweighs external support

The benchmark 6.48% 2035 bond yield was at 7.1225%

Published 21 May, 2026 10:50am

Commodities

Palm slips over 1% on soft rival oils, weak exports

Palm oil contract for August delivery on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange slid 64 ringgit, or 1.4%, to 4,519 ringgit

Published 21 May, 2026 10:37am

Stocks

Australia shares extend gain as surprise decline in April jobs curbs rate-hike bets

The S&P/ASX 200 index rose 1.6% to 8,629.80 as of 0213 GMT, after rising 1.5% earlier

Published 21 May, 2026 10:33am

Business & Finance

PM Shehbaz approves expansion of ECC membership

Federal Minister for Education Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui included in the ECC as a member

Published 21 May, 2026 10:23am

Forex

Australian dollar dented as soft jobs data pare rate bets

The Aussie lost 0.5% to $0.7118, after rallying almost 0.7% the previous session and away from a low of $0.7070

Published 21 May, 2026 10:16am

Stocks

Japan's Nikkei rallies on fresh optimism over AI, Iran peace talks

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Index climbed 3.58% to 61,945.34, and is set for its sharpest daily gain since May 7, if the current momentum holds

Published 21 May, 2026 10:12am

Business & Finance

Pakistan, Kenya pledge to double bilateral trade within five years

Reaffirm the strong importance both countries attach to their economic partnership and future commercial cooperation

Published 21 May, 2026 10:11am

Stocks

China shares edge up on US-Iran peace deal hopes, Nvidia-fuelled chip rally

China's blue-chip CSI300 index was up 0.6% by the lunch break, while the Shanghai Composite index was flat at 4,162.37 points

Published 21 May, 2026 10:07am

Stocks

PSX extends gains as KSE-100 Index gains over 2.2%

Benchmark index settles at 168,514 points

Updated 21 May, 2026 07:04pm

Bullion Rate

Gold steady as US-Iran deal hopes counter inflation fears

Spot gold was down 0.2% at $4,534.69 per ounce

Published 21 May, 2026 09:29am

Markets

IMF mission ends, FY2027 budget talks to continue 'in the coming days'

SBP reiterated its commitment to maintaining an appropriately tight monetary policy stance

Updated 21 May, 2026 03:35pm

Stocks

Indian shares open higher on US-Iran deal hopes

The benchmark Nifty 50 rose ⁠0.72% to 23,830.05 and the BSE Sensex gained 0.55% to 75,732.42

Published 21 May, 2026 09:24am

Forex

Indian rupee long losing run may halt on relief from oil, US yields

The Indian rupee is expected to open in 96.66-96.70 range, per traders, having settled at 96.82 on Wednesday

Published 21 May, 2026 09:21am

Stocks

Stocks soar on Nvidia earnings, Samsung strike suspension

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan climbed 2.6%, snapping a four-day streak of losses

Published 21 May, 2026 09:15am

Forex

Dollar rally pauses on Iran deal optimism, Aussie slides

The euro was steady at $1.1626 on Thursday, after dipping ‌to ⁠the weakest since April 7 at $1.1583 in the previous session before bouncing back

Updated 21 May, 2026 01:01pm

Energy

Oil prices gain 3% after Reuters report signals complication to US-Iran peace talks

Brent crude futures gained $3.07, or 2.9%, to $108.09 a barrel

Updated 21 May, 2026 09:43pm

Business & Finance

Production sharing and licence agreements inked: Pakistan reopens offshore frontier after two decades

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik on Wednesday witnessed the signing ceremony of...

Published 21 May, 2026 05:01am

Business & Finance

Customs violation: FBR slaps Rs2.7bn penalties on Gerry’s Dnata

KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has hammered M/s Gerry’s Dnata (Pvt) Ltd with Rs. 2.7 billion penalties...

Published 21 May, 2026 05:01am

Business & Finance

Sapphire soda ash project: SIFC facilitates progress

ISLAMABAD: Significant progress has been made on the Sapphire Soda Ash Production Project with the facilitation of...

Published 21 May, 2026 05:01am

Energy

New UAE pipeline bypassing Hormuz now 50pc complete

DUBAI: A new crude oil pipeline that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz and which the United Arab Emirates began building...

Published 21 May, 2026 05:01am

World

Strait of Hormuz blockade: FAO warns of global food crisis

ROME: The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned Wednesday that the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz...

Published 21 May, 2026 05:01am

Business & Finance

Pakistan-China Business Forum team meets Qaiser

ISLAMABAD: President of the Pakistan-China Business Forum, along with a high-level delegation, called on the Federal...

Published 21 May, 2026 05:01am

Business & Finance

SUPARCO projects wheat production at 27.48 MT

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) has projected the country’s wheat...

Published 21 May, 2026 05:01am

Business & Finance

Economic cooperation: Punjab CM, Azerbaijan minister agree to form JWG

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif met Azerbaijan’s Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov and discussed...

Published 21 May, 2026 05:01am

Energy

Oil prices slide 6pc

NEW YORK: Oil prices fell about 6 percent on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump said that negotiations with...

Updated 21 May, 2026 05:29am

Business & Finance

SAFA launches ESG framework for public sector entities

LAHORE: Zia-ul-Mustafa Awan, Chairman of the Public Sector Advisory Committee of the South Asian Federation of...

Published 21 May, 2026 05:01am

Business & Finance

Britain clinches USD5bn Gulf trade deal in shadow of Iran war

LONDON: Britain said on Wednesday it had secured a trade deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council worth USD5 billion a...

Published 21 May, 2026 05:01am

Business & Finance

Centre agrees to provide gas to KP CNG sector

PESHAWAR: Federal government has agreed to provide 35 MMCFD natural gas to CNG sectors of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and...

Published 21 May, 2026 05:01am

Business & Finance

World Bank team discusses Punjab energy projects

LAHORE: Punjab Secretary Energy Muhammad Ajmal Bhatti on Wednesday held meeting with a high-level delegation from...

Published 21 May, 2026 05:01am

Previous Day

BR100
BR30
KSE100
KSE30
KMI30

1D 5D 3M 6M 1Y

Forex
World
Commodity

Currency	Rate
USD PKR Interbank Selling / Jul 27	278.06
USD PKR Interbank Buying / Jul 27	277.86
USD to Japanese Yen / Jul 28	163.75
USD to Swiss Franc / Jul 28	0.82
Pound Sterling to USD / Jul 28	1.33
Euro to USD / Jul 28	1.14
SOFR % / Jul 27	3.64

Stock	Volume
S&P 500 / Jul 27	7,413.18
Nasdaq / Jul 27	24,932.08
Dow Jones / Jul 27	52,210.08
India Sensex / Jul 28	76,916.26
Tokyo Nikkei / Jul 28	62,078.15
Hang Seng / Jul 28	25,254.48
FTSE 100 / Jul 28	10,802
Germany DAX 30 / Jul 28	25,507.27
France CAC40 / Jul 28	8,432.64

Item	Value
Karachi Cotton PKR/37.32 KG / Jul 27	18,480
Gold 10 Grams PKR / Jul 27	370,144
Petrol/Litre / Jul 28	334.18
Crude Oil USD/Barrel / Jul 28	82.05
Gold Spot USD/Ounce / Jul 28	4,040.61
Diesel/Litre / Jul 28	386.83
Cotton US¢/pound / Jul 28	80.50

Gainers
Losers
Leaders

Stock	Price
Siddiqsons Tin / Jul 28 Siddiqsons Tin Plate Limited(STPL)	9.18 ▲ 1 (12.22%)
Gulistan Sp. / Jul 28 Gulistan Spinning Mills Limited(GUSM)	9.65 ▲ 1 (11.56%)
Khalid Siraj / Jul 28 Khalid Siraj Textile Mills Limited(KSTM)	14.80 ▲ 1.35 (10.04%)
Intermarket Securities / Jul 28 Intermarket Securities Limited(IMS)	26.79 ▲ 2.44 (10.02%)
Adamjee Ins. / Jul 28 Adamjee Insurance Company Limited(AICL)	90.56 ▲ 8.23 (10%)
Baba Farid Sugar / Jul 28 Baba Farid Sugar Mills Limited(BAFS)	546.95 ▲ 49.72 (10%)
First Tri-Star Mod. / Jul 28 First Tri-Star Modaraba(FTSM)	37.96 ▲ 3.45 (10%)
Khairpur Sug. / Jul 28 Khairpur Sugar Mills Limited(KPUS)	1,337.15 ▲ 121.56 (10%)
National Silk / Jul 28 The National Silk & Rayon Mills Limited(NSRM)	304.10 ▲ 27.65 (10%)
Ellcot Spinning / Jul 28 Ellcot Spinning Mills Limited(ELSM)	146.72 ▲ 13.34 (10%)

Stock	Price
Trust Sec.& Brok. / Jul 28 Trust Securities & Brokerage Limited(TSBL)	2.30 ▼ -0.3 (-11.54%)
Asia Ins. / Jul 28 Asia Insurance Company Limited(ASIC)	44.51 ▼ -4.95 (-10.01%)
Maqbool Textile / Jul 28 Maqbool Textile Mills Limited(MQTM)	32.37 ▼ -3.6 (-10.01%)
Olympia Mills / Jul 28 Olympia Mills Limited(OML)	140.34 ▼ -15.59 (-10%)
TPL Insurance / Jul 28 TPL Insurance Limited(TPLI)	72.29 ▼ -8.03 (-10%)
Azgard Nine (Non-Voti) / Jul 28 Azgard Nine (Non-Voti)(ANLNV)	7.21 ▼ -0.8 (-9.99%)
Pakistan Credit Rating Agency / Jul 28 The Pakistan Credit Rating Agency Ltd(GEMPACRA)	32.52 ▼ -3.5 (-9.72%)
Nets Internat.Comm. / Jul 28 Nets International Communication Limited(GEMNETS)	23.50 ▼ -2.5 (-9.62%)
Ruby Textile / Jul 28 Ruby Textile Mills Limited(RUBY)	16.55 ▼ -1.75 (-9.56%)
ARM Green Industries / Jul 28 ARM Green Industries Limited(ARMG)	62.40 ▼ -6.52 (-9.46%)

Stock	Volume
Cnergyico PK / Jul 28 Cnergyico PK Limited(CNERGY)	272,364,545 ▲ 0.28
WorldCall Telecom / Jul 28 Worldcall Telecom Limited(WTL)	72,178,416 ▼ -0.03
Trust Sec.& Brok. / Jul 28 Trust Securities & Brokerage Limited(TSBL)	63,580,301 ▼ -0.3
Pak Refinery / Jul 28 Pakistan Refinery Limited(PRL)	38,847,087 ▲ 3.87
Maple Leaf Cement / Jul 28 Maple Leaf Cement Factory Limited(MLCF)	24,081,768 ▲ 0.86
Ghani Chem. Ind. / Jul 28 Ghani Chemical Industries Limited(GCIL)	22,665,764 ▲ 1.45
TPL Corp Ltd / Jul 28 TPL Corp Limited(TPL)	21,692,273 ▲ 0.24
Siddiqsons Tin / Jul 28 Siddiqsons Tin Plate Limited(STPL)	18,823,751 ▲ 1
K-Electric Ltd. / Jul 28 K-Electric Limited(KEL)	14,991,244 ▼ -0.07
Intermarket Securities / Jul 28 Intermarket Securities Limited(IMS)	14,668,680 ▲ 2.44

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