The futures spread declined by 9bps to 6.47 percent on the last day of the outgoing week. Trading activities on the futures counter improved significantly as average daily volumes surged by 231.5 percent to 160.25 million shares as compared to previous w

Pakistan Stock Exchange remained under severe pressure during the outgoing week ended on February 28, 2020 due to panic selling by both local and foreign investors. BRIndex100 shed 255.69 points on week-on-weed basis to close at 3,953.72 points. Average

Greek police fired tear gas to repel hundreds of stone-throwing migrants who sought to force their way across the border from Turkey on Sunday, witnesses said, with thousands more behind them after Ankara relaxed curbs on their movement.

Turkey shot down two Syrian warplanes over Idlib on Sunday and struck a military airport well beyond its frontlines in a sharp escalation of its military operations following the death of dozens of Turkish soldiers last week. Ankara has ramped up its atta

A staunch Muslim nationalist backed by a scandal-mired party was sworn in as Malaysia's premier Sunday after a reformist government's collapse, but ex-leader Mahathir Mohamad, 94, slammed the move as illegal. The Southeast Asian nation was plunged into tu

Power Division is all set to share 'electricity price freezing plan' and other debt stock retirement measures meant to improve power sector's deteriorating financial health with the federal cabinet on Tuesday (March 3, 2020). Informed sources told Busines

The government has taken a major decision to close Pak-Afghan border at Chaman to prevent cross border transmission of the Coronavirus. According to an official of the Ministry of National Health services, the measure would take effect from March 2 and re

The Sindh government on Sunday decided to keep all educational institutions in the province closed until March 13 in view of the threat posed by the novel Coronavirus. The decision was taken by the Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah while chairing 4

Iran voiced its opposition Sunday to an Afghanistan accord between the United States and the Taliban, saying Americans had no right to decide on the country's future. "The United States has no legal right to sign a peace agreement or to decide the future

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani rejected on Sunday a Taliban demand for the release of 5,000 prisoners as a condition for talks with Afghanistan's government and civilians - included in a deal between the United States and the Islamist militants. "The gover

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Sunday that US was conveyed that there are spoilers within and outside Afghanistan of US-Taliban deal and there is need to keep a vigilant eye on them.

The rupee sustained stable trend in relation to the dollar during the week, ended on February 29, 2020. The rupee picked up four paisas versus the dollar for buying and selling at Rs 154.25 and Rs 154.26.

Karachi Electric (KE) is reportedly seeking about 68 per cent increase in Tariff Differential Subsidy (TDS) to Rs 99.849 billion in Financial Year 2020-21 compared to Rs 59.5 billion earmarked for FY 2019-20, well informed sources told Business Recorder.

The Swiss government has filed a criminal complaint over the US Central Intelligence Agency's alleged use of a cryptography company as a front to spy on various governments' secret communications, the Swiss attorney general's office said on Sunday.

Joe Biden, fresh off his first victory in the race for the US Democratic presidential nomination, took aim at front-runner Bernie Sanders on Sunday ahead of the Super Tuesday contests that could reshape the campaign to pick the party's 2020 nominee.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia can cope with the recent decline in oil prices as the coronavirus has spread internationally but offered a chink of light to Opec as the producer group pushes for deeper supply cuts. Moscow has been resist

Pope Francis said Sunday he would not be taking part in a planned six-day spiritual retreat south of Rome after coming down with a "cold". The 83-year-old pontiff suffered two coughing spells that forced him to turn away from the crowd and cover his mouth

Prime Minister Imran Khan has visited proposed site of Blue Area which is being launched from today (Monday) for open auction on April 14-16 2020, according to PM's office. The proposed site is located across the road opposite F-9 park which is approved B

Raul Jimenez boosted Wolves' bid to qualify for the Champions League as his late winner capped the visitors' dramatic fightback in their 3-2 victory at Tottenham on Sunday. Nuno Espirito Santo's side trailed twice in north London, but hit back from 2-1 do

Manchester City claimed the League Cup for the fourth time in five seasons by beating Aston Villa 2-1 at Wembley on Sunday thanks to goals from Sergio Aguero and Rodrigo. Mbwana Samatta pulled a goal back for Villa, but their wait for the club's first sil

Terming the scenes at the Multan Cricket Stadium during recent marches of the HBL PSL 2020 as extraordinary, PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan Sunday said that each and every fan in the stands made their presence felt by cheering every shot and wicket.

Laura Wolvaardt smacked a crucial 53 as South Africa whipped Pakistan to make only their second women's Twenty20 World Cup semi-finals Sunday, where they were joined by former champions England who swept past the West Indies. Proteas captain Dane van Niek

Liton Das struck his second one-day international century to set up a crushing 169-run win for Bangladesh in the first ODI against Zimbabwe in Sylhet on Sunday. Liton hit 126 off 105 balls with 13 fours and two sixes as Bangladesh posted 321-6, their high

Javeria Khan became only the fourth Pakistan woman cricketer to register a century of T20I matches when the Pakistan national women's team played South Africa Women in their third Group-B fixture of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup against South Africa at Sy

World number two Rafael Nadal captured his first ATP Tour title of 2020, easily defeating unseeded Taylor Fritz in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, in the final of the Mexico Open on Saturday. The 33-year-old Nadal, playing in his first tournament since losing in

New Zealand fast bowler Trent Boult said his side's "pack" mentality had left India reeling a day two of the second Test on which 16 wickets fell including another cheap dismissal for Virat Kohli in Christchurch on Sunday. At stumps India led by just 97 l

Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele broke Mo Farah's course record as he won the London half-marathon on Sunday in a time of one hour and 22 seconds. Bekele took 1min 18sec off the record set in 2019 by British distance great Farah, who missed this year's edition

Angelo Mathews held his nerve with the ball to help Sri Lanka clinch a tense six-run win over West Indies in the third one-day international and sweep the series 3-0 on Sunday. Mathews claimed four wickets and denied West Indies 13 runs in the last over,

Russia's capital Moscow, which for the past months has largely been deprived of its traditional seasonal covering of snow, has seen its warmest winter since records began, the state weather service said on Saturday. The head of Russia's forecasting centre

The first detected case of coronavirus in Africa highlights the vulnerability of the world's poorest continent to outbreaks of contagious diseases. Much of Africa struggles with conflicts, poor health infrastructure, crowded cities with inadequate sanitat

Climate change could add around $100 billion, or more than 20%, to the global cost of extreme weather events such as floods, heatwaves and droughts by 2040, research from Cambridge University showed on Wednesday. The findings come from the university's Cl

Major Asian cities, including Tokyo, Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh City and Shanghai, are most at risk from rising sea levels, researchers warned on Thursday, urging authorities to invest more in flood defences and plan to relocate assets and people.

Japan's Sony, which lags its South Korean and Chinese rivals in smartphone sales, on February 24 unveiled a new handset featuring advanced camera technology to boost its appeal for video and film professionals. Speaking via web streaming from Tokyo, Presi

Mobile phone apps that point shoppers to discounted groceries, codes on chicken and cheese that display their origin, and water dispensers and degradable packaging that slash plastic use. These are just some of the steps European supermarkets are taking t

Johnson & Johnson said on Tuesday it would partner with Apple Inc on a study to use an iPhone app and the Apple Watch to study how earlier detection of atrial fibrillation impacts stroke in people aged 65 or older.

Huawei unveiled an upgrade to its folding smartphone on February 24, hoping that a faster phone with higher-quality display will encourage consumers to spend as much as $2,700 for the top-of-the-range version. The new Mate XS arrives a year after the Chin

Malaysian long-haul budget airline AirAsia X said it will defer delivery of 78 Airbus SE A330neo planes and consider other changes to reduce its fleet, as the coronavirus outbreak adds pressure on the loss-making carrier. AirAsia X said late on Thursday i

France's Carrefour raised its savings target on Thursday as Europe's largest retailer delivered cost cuts of 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) last year, helping it fund e-commerce investments and price cuts for customers. It posted a well-flagged 7.4 percen

United States founding father James Madison once quipped that the currency of confidence was worth more than money itself. Long-suffering shareholders in Rolls-Royce must hope the company's breezy self-assurance finally pays off. Chief Executive Warren Ea

The world's largest brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev forecast a 10 percent decline in first-quarter profit on Thursday after the coronavirus outbreak hit beer sales during the Chinese New Year, sending its shares skidding. The maker of Budweiser, Corona and St

Standard Chartered on Thursday warned a major earnings target would take longer to meet and asset quality would worsen in the near-term as the coronavirus epidemic adds to the bank's woes in its main markets of China and Hong Kong. StanChart's warning abo

Rio Tinto warned on Wednesday that the coronavirus outbreak may create challenging conditions over the next six months, with more disruptions to global supply chains and potential delays to projects in Australia. The miner's warning comes on the heels of

German airline Lufthansa said on Wednesday it would freeze new hires and use unpaid leave and additional short-time work to cut costs to help cushion the economic impact of the novel coronavirus. "To counteract the economic impact of the coronavirus of th

Reckitt Benckiser's new CEO unveiled plans on Thursday to spend 2 billion pounds ($2.6 billion) over the next three years to spur growth, as the company took a 5 billion pound writedown on the value of its baby formula business Mead Johnson. The British m

Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) has postponed a planned issuance of US dollar-denominated sukuk due to market conditions resulting from the new coronavirus outbreak, three sources familiar with the matter said. DIB, the largest Islamic bank in the United Arab Em

Italy's economy minister promised Sunday to deliver 3.6 billion euros ($4 million) in emergency aid - equivalent to 0.2 percent of the country's entire economy - to sectors affected by the new coronavirus epidemic. The package must still be approved by th

China's new securities law which simplifies regulations for stock exchange listings and tightens sanctions on insider trading came into force Sunday. The revised legislation, which was adopted at the end of last year, was "a milestone in the country's cap

Two more Chinese cities that rely heavily on car manufacturing plan to offer incentives to bolster auto sales, which have been hit by the fallout from the spread of the coronavirus. In the southern city of Guangzhou - where Japanese automakers Toyota, Hon

Malaysia and India will work on improving ties that soured under former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and badly affected palm oil trade between the countries, officials from both nations said on Sunday. India is the world's biggest palm oil im

Zambia's African Green Resources (AGR) on Sunday launched an $81 million financing programme under which the company and its partners will provide farm supplies and technology to farmers in exchange for grain.

The Bank for International Settlements said on Sunday that financial markets had functioned resiliently during last week's coronavirus-sparked sell-off and this was a sign that post-crisis reforms were doing their job. The BIS, dubbed the central bank to

Nippon Steel, the world's No.3 steelmaker, is bracing for a downside risk as slower manufacturing activities in China in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak may further weigh on demand in industries such as auto and machineries, its executive said.

Saudi Arabia's economy grew by a weaker-than-expected 0.3% in 2019 as the oil sector contracted sharply, official data showed on Sunday, although the non-oil sector accelerated. Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, wants to boost the private se

Israeli airline El Al said Sunday it was considering firing 1,000 staff out of its total workforce of around 6,000 due to losses linked to the novel coronavirus outbreak. A company spokesman confirmed the plan to AFP but would not give further details.

Central banks will ask world leaders to back a "roadmap" for cutting the cost of cross-border payments, the Bank for International Settlements said on Sunday. The BIS wants Group of Twenty (G20) leaders to get behind the plan, which is being drawn up regu

Indonesian bonds, stocks and its rupiah currency plummeted on Friday as foreign investors dumped risky assets on fears the world is on the cusp of a pandemic. The rupiah dropped 2%, its steepest fall in more than eight years, benchmark 10-year bond prices

London's blue-chip stocks are set to gain modestly this year although the outlook is coloured by the British government's determination to stick to the end-December deadline for a trade deal with the European Union, a Reuters poll found.

Egypt introduced exceptional measures on Sunday to make it easier for listed companies to buy treasury stocks, a move aimed at supporting the stock market following a sharp fall in world markets in the past few days. Under the new rules announced by the f

Middle Eastern stocks plunged on Sunday, with Kuwait falling the most, as the spread of coronavirus stoked fears that outbreak could hurt the global economy and oil prices. Leaders in Europe, the Middle East and the Americas rolled out bans on big gatheri

Cryptoc-urrency developers have created a digital coin that allows traders to bet on the coronavirus epidemic, based on how many people fall ill or die. Called the "CoronaCoin," its supply will diminish every two days based on the rate of new cases, accor

With this week's coronavirus-driven rout having shaken awake previously slumbering euro-dollar markets, the spotlight is back on the "short volatility" trades that some regulators fear could trigger a blowup on world markets. The world's most traded curre

Activity in stock options points to a possible rebound for battered US equities, after markets notched their steepest weekly drop since the financial crisis as the coronavirus outbreak accelerated beyond China's borders.

Chinese government bonds were rallying their way into J.P. Morgan's widely-tracked indices on Friday, as expectations of falling interest rates coincided with the pre-scheduled inclusion. After New York markets close, nine bonds with maturities of between

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders may be surging in the polls ahead of Super Tuesday, but some on Wall Street have made their own conclusions on what November will bring: four more years of President Donald Trump.

Yemen's Huthi rebels have seized control of a strategic town north of the capital, government officials said Sunday, in what analysts say could change the course of the five-year-old war. The Iran-aligned militia captured Al-Hazm, capital of the northern

Istanbul police on Sunday released the editor-in-chief of the Turkish edition of Sputnik, the Russian news website said, as tensions escalated between Ankara and Moscow. Sputnik Turkey's editor-in-chief Mahir Boztepe was detained and taken to the Istanbul

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged Sunday to annex key parts of the occupied West Bank within "weeks" if re-elected, as he sought to sway voters a day before the country's third election in a year.

Ottawa confirmed Saturday that a group of Canadians had been detained in Ethiopia after a humanitarian organization reported that 15 volunteers and workers, including 13 Canadian nationals, had been apprehended. Global Affairs Canada, the foreign ministry

Australian summers are now effectively twice as long as its winters as climate change has increased temperatures since the middle of the last century, research released in the wake of the nation's unprecedented fire season showed on Monday.

As the number of confirmed coronavirus cases across 61 countries hit 86,000 Saturday with nearly 3,000 deaths to date, the profile of those most at risk of dying is coming into focus, experts told AFP. But the overall mortality rate remains uncertain, the

The man appointed interim president of Guinea-Bissau by the side beaten in the December presidential election has stepped down because of death threats, less than two days after being nominated. "Given the death threats against me and my bodyguards, I hav

Polls closed in Tajikistan Sunday in a parliamentary election that President Emomali Rakhmon's ruling party is expected to sweep, with only one genuinely critical party taking part and the former main opposition banned. The elections are the first in the

Sri Lanka's new president is set to dissolve parliament shortly and call snap a legislative election six months ahead of schedule, a state-run newspaper said Sunday. Gotabaya Rajapaksa is expected to exercise his constitutional power to sack the assembly

France's famed Louvre museum, the world's most visited, closed Sunday as coronavirus cases mounted across Europe and beyond, with the global death toll nearing 3,000. The virus has now infected more than 88,000 people and spread to more than 60 countries

All timings are in PST (Pakistan Standard Time).

Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar Sunday said that a committee has been constituted for setting up new districts and tehsils across the province and new districts and tehsils will be established in the light of recommendations put forth by the con

Federal Planning Minister Asad Umar has announced that Prime Minister Imran Khan will visit Karachi to inaugurate flyover projects constructed in Karachi. Asad Umar made the media statement while visiting three flyover projects in Karachi on Sunday. Sindh

Azad Jammu Kashmir President Sardar Masood Khan visited the Central Office of MQM (Pakistan) in Karachi on Sunday where he was warmly received by MQM Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Deputy Convener Amir Khan, Mayor Karachi Wasim Akhtar, Deputy Mayor Ar

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has received highest number of complaints relating to the registration of new companies, insurance sector, e-services and corporate supervision including transfer of shares during 2019-20.

Nauman Ahmed Khan is the young scion of the AlMoiz group, which has commercial interests spanning beverage, sugar, power, textile and steel industries. Nauman has a master's degree in industrial engineering as well as an undergrad degree in economics from

Pak Sarzameen Party Chairman Syed Mustafa Kamal on Sunday announced to kick off campaign for the local bodies elections 2020, vowing to give considerable number of seats to female candidates of his party. Addressing his party's first-ever women's grand ra

Police on Sunday claimed to have arrested three alleged terrorists from the gate of the NED University in Karachi, within the premises of Mubina Town police station and recovered weapons from their possession. Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) Eas

Under Prime Minister's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Achievement Programme, some 14 development schemes would be complete at a cost of Rs 67.85 million under the supervision of Faisalabad Development Authority (FDA). This was informed during a meet

Bearish trend was witnessed in international cotton market. In the local cotton market trading volume remained low. The government is actively working on increasing the production of cotton in the country. Positive steps are taken but the government to so

Third and last day of 11th Karachi Literature Festival, Sunday, drew a huge crowd of literature lovers. The enthusiastic engagement of the visitors including authors, artists, and literati is indicative of the inspiring ideas and debates of KLF generated.

The Moenjo Daro Express narrowly escaped accident after it hit a qingqi rickshaw here on Sunday. The rickshaw was destroyed completely but driver survived with minor injuries. According to details, Moenjo Daro Express was on its way to Kotri from Larkana

Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar has demanded Nobel Prize for Prime Minister Imran Khan in recognition of his historic role in Afghan peace. "Imran Khan is the only political leader who has been opposing the war in the region; by all aspects he (I

Cognizant of the modern time needs and environmental issues, the government has started working on a strategy to import Euro-IV and V standard fuel conforming the latest vehicles and tackle environmental issues like smog & air pollution.

The Middle East situation seems to have taken yet another ugly turn. According to Turkey, it will let refugees into Europe after its 33 troops are killed in Syria.

"The power of the Malays has returned," rejoiced street hawker Mohd Nor Afiq in Kuala Lumpur after a new prime minister was sworn in to replace 94-year-old Mahathir Mohamad. With the ascendancy of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, the Southeast Asian count

Finally, the deal. The double TT, Ie, Trump and Taliban have both agreed and signed it. The rest of the world is keeping their fingers crossed - not only that they sign it but also that the deal does not become too much to deal with. 19 years of live and

The insistence by the State Bank of Pakistan to keep the discount rate at 13.25 percent since 20 July 2019, which implies a two to three percentage point higher lending rate by commercial banks, continues to generate controversy within the productive sect

The Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2010, which makes sexual harassment a criminal offence, has made it possible for the wall of silence surrounding the issue to be dismantled. In one such case filed by a woman officer against the

Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed satisfaction and, one would assume felt considerable relief, at the press release issued by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) stating that "following discussions between IMF staff and the Pakistani authorities in Is

Taking notice of surge in prices of face masks as well as its shortage, Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has started crackdown on those involved in artificial price hike and shortage of the protective gears.

A speedy truck smashed three youngsters to death in Pir Makki police precincts on Sunday, police and rescuers said. According to police, three youngsters were traveling on a motorcycle in Pir Makki when a speeding truck overran them, killing all of them o

The Amun Taraqqi Party (ATP), Chairman Muhammad Faiq Shah has termed US-Taliban peace agreement a historic move towards peace in Afghanistan after 19 years of war. He linked the regional stability and development with restoration of sustainable peace. He

Welcoming Doha peace talks held between the United States and stakeholders hailing from Afghan region, Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Chairman Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said Pakistan should seek help from the US for removal of name from

Terming research and development (R&D) in the medical field as crucial, health professionals at a medical moot urged the doctors to focus on enhancing their professional skills. They were speaking at the concluding session of Scientific Symposium and Medi

Officials of Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) on Sunday organized open Katcheries (open forums) for the redresssal of public complaints across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. On the directions of Chief Executive Pesco Engineer Dr Muhammad Amjad open forums he