News Archives for Business & Finance - 2026-08-18

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Business & Finance - 2026-08-18

Markets

Govt increases diesel price by Rs5.27, petrol's by Rs3.34 per litre

New prices will be effective for Wednesday, August 19

Published 18 Aug, 2026 11:05pm

Statistics

Pakistan IT export receipts stand at over $400mn in July 2026

IT exports stood at $354mn in July 2025

Published 18 Aug, 2026 10:52pm

Currency

Pakistan’s REER index increases to 107.92 in July 2026

A REER above 100 means the country’s exports are uncompetitive, while imports are cheaper

Published 18 Aug, 2026 09:33pm

Companies

Swiggy shareholders back move for Indian-owned status

Swiggy secured shareholder approval to cap foreign ownership at 49.5%, paving the way for it to officially qualify as an Indian-owned and controlled company

Published 18 Aug, 2026 08:04pm

Stocks

Most Gulf markets muted as Iran tensions keep investors wary

Saudi Arabia’s benchmark index ended flat

Published 18 Aug, 2026 07:36pm

Companies

Ferrari's bespoke Luce EV one-off fetches $40 million at charity auction

Money will be used for education projects to help young people

Published 18 Aug, 2026 07:07pm

Business & Finance

Pakistan records current account deficit of $328mn in July 2026

C/A deficit narrows from $814mn in June 2026 and $529mn in July 2025

Updated 18 Aug, 2026 09:34pm

Companies

Sunrate officially launches in Pakistan to power the country’s growing digital export economy

Sunrate, the global payment and treasury management platform, officially announced the launch of its operations in...

Published 18 Aug, 2026 05:46pm

Stocks

IT, communication stocks drag Sri Lankan shares lower

CSE All-Share index settled down 0.64% at 21,479.07

Published 18 Aug, 2026 05:22pm

Financial

India 10-year bond gives up post-policy gains as oil moves, RBI swap pullback weigh

The yield on the benchmark 6.94% 2036 bond ended at 6.8269%

Published 18 Aug, 2026 05:18pm

Energy

Govt approves amendments to National Electricity Plan 2023-27

Cabinet Committee directed that further consultation be held with Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and NEPRA

Published 18 Aug, 2026 05:00pm

Forex

Short-term funds for Indian lenders may turn expensive after early closure of FX deposit scheme

The Reserve Bank of India cut short its zero-cost FX swap facility for banks by a month to August 31, after inflows of over $50 billion

Published 18 Aug, 2026 04:35pm

Exchange

Rupee registers gain against US dollar

Settles at 277.61

Updated 18 Aug, 2026 07:08pm

Business & Finance

CCP to examine competition concerns in Pakistan’s real estate sector

Multiple complaints were received regarding deceptive and anti-competitive practices in the sector, says CCP

Published 18 Aug, 2026 04:19pm

Financial

India's first blue bond draw nears as issuers line up, bankers say

India prepares for its historic first blue bond sale, unlocking new funding for vital ocean and water conservation efforts

Published 18 Aug, 2026 04:08pm

South Asia

India's Tata Sons adjourns annual shareholder meeting days after chairman exit, source says

Chandrasekaran said he would not seek reappointment when his term ends in February 2027,

Published 18 Aug, 2026 04:02pm

Middle East

Saudi Arabia resumes oil loadings, sales from inside Strait of Hormuz

Three very large crude carriers — Malaysia Prosperity, Algeria Prosperity and Singapore Prosperity — loaded 2 million barrels of crude

Published 18 Aug, 2026 03:53pm

Companies

Bank Makramah approves Nasser Lootah $36mn investment

Funding to strengthen the bank's capital, meet regulatory needs and support operations

Published 18 Aug, 2026 03:51pm

Companies

NEVO Is Next: Master Changan Continues Bringing Changan’s Global House of Brands to Pakistan

Following the successful launch of DEEPAL and the locally assembled S05 REEV, another major Global Changan brand is preparing to enter Pakistan

Published 18 Aug, 2026 03:45pm

Forex

Indian rupee ends marginally lower as central bank shields from oil, yield strain

Indian rupee closed at 95.68 per dollar

Published 18 Aug, 2026 03:43pm

Stocks

Indian shares extend losing run on fading hopes of Mideast peace deal

Nifty 50 fell 0.55% to 24,154.9 and the BSE Sensex lost 0.63% to 77,235.46

Published 18 Aug, 2026 03:39pm

Financial

Gold price per tola remains stable in Pakistan

Price of silver declines by Rs43 per tola

Updated 18 Aug, 2026 06:44pm

Stocks

SECP approves public offering of New Nazimabad Apartments REIT

The issue size is between Rs793 million and Rs1.01 billion, shared AHL

Published 18 Aug, 2026 01:34pm

Companies

PTCL onboards IRM to deliver Ba-Ikhtiar's digital literacy component across 22 districts

Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), Pakistan’s leading telecom and ICT services provider, in...

Published 18 Aug, 2026 12:12pm

Energy

Masood Textile successfully operationalizes 6.2 MW solar PV capacity, plans to expand to 10 MW

Installation of approximately 3.8 MW of additional solar photovoltaic capacity is underway

Published 18 Aug, 2026 11:56am

Forex

Australia, NZ dollars near multi-week peaks as greenback creaks

The break of $0.7088 resistance was bullish for a push to $0.7200 and the May peak of $0.7277

Published 18 Aug, 2026 11:41am

Stocks

BHP, CSL gains help Australian shares snap four-day losing streak

The S&P/ASX 200 index inched 0.1% higher to 9,078.90 points

Published 18 Aug, 2026 11:40am

Stocks

Japan's Nikkei slides as Middle East stalemate fuels oil, inflation concerns

The Nikkei dropped 1.1% to 68,460.56 by late morning, after a 5.5% gain over the previous five trading sessions

Published 18 Aug, 2026 11:39am

Stocks

South Korean shares hit 1-month high as chipmakers jump

The benchmark KOSPI was up 190.63 points, or 2.73%, at 7,168.57

Published 18 Aug, 2026 11:37am

Energy

Pakistan power generation grows 7% YoY; fuel cost climbs 38% in July

Electricity costs significantly increased due to fuel mix and higher oil prices

Updated 18 Aug, 2026 12:13pm

Forex

China yuan eases as soft economic data, weaker fixing weigh

The spot yuan opened at 6.7440 per dollar and was last trading at 6.7439

Published 18 Aug, 2026 11:20am

Commodities

Soybeans rise to 3-week high on US crop woes, Chinese demand

The most-active soybean contract on the Chicago Board of Trade rose 0.7% to $12.24-1/2 a bushel

Published 18 Aug, 2026 11:14am

Commodities

Copper falls as disappointing China data and Mideast impasse weigh

Copper on the London Metal Exchange was down 0.39% at $14,102 a metric ton

Published 18 Aug, 2026 11:11am

Stocks

China, HK stocks slip as AI shares retreat; energy bucks trend

China's blue-chip CSI300 Index dropped 0.8% by the lunch break and the Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.4%

Published 18 Aug, 2026 10:55am

Energy

China's fuel exports edge back towards levels before Iran war as Beijing eases curbs

Beijing eased those controls in July and again in August, when officials approved enough exports to exceed pre-war levels

Published 18 Aug, 2026 10:53am

Commodities

Australia's BHP, unions fail to reach wage deal

The parties said they will meet again on August 25, a spokesperson for the union added

Published 18 Aug, 2026 10:51am

Mutual Funds

Indian bonds wobble on oil strain, RBI swap pullback

The yield on the benchmark 6.94% 2036 bond crept up 3 basis points to 6.8407%

Published 18 Aug, 2026 10:49am

Mutual Funds

Philippines raises $408 million from T-bond offer

BTr awards 20 billion pesos worth of 2030 T-bonds at an average rate of 6.988%

Published 18 Aug, 2026 10:47am

Markets

China's July solar exports fall 21.4% as loss of tax incentive continues to weigh

July's solar exports were valued at $2.13 billion, down 4% from a year earlier

Published 18 Aug, 2026 10:43am

Stocks

PSX: KSE-100 Index settles over 2,500 points lower

Benchmark index closes below 178,000

Updated 18 Aug, 2026 07:01pm

Forex

Rising oil, US yields add to Indain rupee pressure after RBI move

The Indain rupee is expected to open in the 95.68 to 95.72 range, traders said, after settling at 95.6025 to the dollar on Monday

Published 18 Aug, 2026 08:25am

Mutual Funds

Japan's 10-year government bond yield rises to three-decade peak

Benchmark 10-year JGB futures declined 0.19 yen to 125.97 yen

Published 18 Aug, 2026 08:02am

Bullion Rate

Gold extends gains on easing rate-hike fears, markets await Fed minutes

Spot gold was up 0.2% at $4,424.28 per ounce

Published 18 Aug, 2026 07:58am

Stocks

Indian shares set for muted open as oil tops $91, US-Iran ceasefire expires

GIFT Nifty futures were at 24,311.50 points

Published 18 Aug, 2026 07:53am

Forex

Dollar feeble as rate hike bets dwindle, Iran war worries grow

Sterling was at $1.3548, just shy of the three-month peak it touched in the previous session

Published 18 Aug, 2026 07:50am

Stocks

Oil prices climb, bond yields rise as US-Iran ceasefire expires

MSCI's ‌broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up 0.8%

Published 18 Aug, 2026 07:45am

Energy

Oil rises as US-Iran peace hopes fade

Brent crude futures were up 36 cents, or 0.4%, at $91.23 a barrel

Updated 18 Aug, 2026 08:40pm

Companies

11 Pakistani cos set to participate in Automechanika Frankfurt

KARACHI: Some 11 prominent Pakistani companies set to participate in Automechanika Frankfurt 2026. Automechanika...

Published 18 Aug, 2026 07:28am

Industry

‘Customs moves to modernise imported goods valuation system’

LAHORE: Director General Customs Valuation Irfan Wahid has said that ensuring fair valuation of imported goods is...

Published 18 Aug, 2026 07:23am

Pakistan

Makkah Agreement: ‘Pakistan’s strategic relevance should be used to secure economic dividend’

KARACHI: Mian Zahid Hussain, president of the Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum as well as the All...

Published 18 Aug, 2026 07:21am

Companies

Ghandhara Ind teams up with UD Trucks to market CBU units

KARACHI: Ghandhara Industries Limited (PSX: GIL) has entered into a strategic partnership with UD Trucks Corporation...

Published 18 Aug, 2026 07:12am

Business & Finance

Skills development, labour market demand: ILO urges Pakistan to strengthen connection

ISLAMABAD: The International Labour Organization (ILO) has urged Pakistan to strengthen the connection between...

Published 18 Aug, 2026 07:08am

Pakistan

Minister for digitalization of agriculture sector

LAHORE: Digitalization of the agriculture sector is the need of the modern era as advanced technologies can enable...

Published 18 Aug, 2026 07:06am

Business & Finance

SECP sets up dedicated ‘corporate debt market desk’

ISLAMABAD: The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has established a dedicated Corporate Debt...

Published 18 Aug, 2026 06:59am

Business & Finance

Imports of soda ash: NTC imposes provisional anti-dumping duty

ISLAMABAD: The National Tariff Commission (NTC) has imposed a provisional anti-dumping duty of 10.85 percent on...

Published 18 Aug, 2026 06:33am

Business & Finance

All govt-to-person payments to go digital

ISLAMABAD: The government has set an ambitious target of making all government-to-person (G2P) payments fully...

Published 18 Aug, 2026 06:30am

Business & Finance

Tracking property, business capital and inheritance: FBR demonstrates its systems

ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Domain Team Monday practically demonstrated before the Karachi Tax Bar...

Published 18 Aug, 2026 06:16am

Business & Finance

World Context, Multinet Pakistan partner to support infrastructure

KARACHI: World Context, the startup building a data supply chain between local factory floors and the US robotics...